Sunday, April 24, 2011

Happy Easter & some finishes!

Easter bunny pic





HAPPY EASTER MY FRIENDS!!





I hope that you are enjoying this beautiful weekend?!



This morning saw the awakening of young Rosie along with the dawn… it took a while for these bleary eyes to focus on the shiny wrappers of the Easter eggs that the Easter Bunny had very kindly left hidden inside the house.



The sun is shining and I am sat here listening to my family enjoy the fresh air outside in the garden. I’ve left them to it so that I could pop inside and say Hello!





Hi! Smile





I have some finishes to share with you! Do you remember the ceramics that Rosie and I painted last week? This is what they looked like before they were fired:



Ceramic cafe finished items_picnik



And after…



Ceramics fired 1_picnik



Ceramics fired 2_picnik







I also completed painting the little crib that I picked up for Rosie at the op shop. It went from this:



New toy cot



To this…



Easter bed quilt



I made a little mattress first, then a sheet, and a double-sided blanket, topped with a teeny weeny pieced quilt using fabrics designed by Lynette Anderson.



Easter bed collage



It has been a very busy week in the SUDs household. We had an old friend from Blighty stay with us for a couple of days and I can’t tell you how good it was to hear a London accent! Love it! The lovely thing about having guests from overseas is showing them the local sights. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great but we frequented some of my favourite ‘burbs’ up in the Dandenong Ranges.



I also went to the AQC last Saturday which was as inspirational as always! I didn’t take any photos, there were quite a few signs up at the stands requesting no photography. But I had a lovely time with my ‘painting buddies’ Anne and Karen. (They’re busy gals – but I might get them blogging one of these days!!!)



I was thrilled to bits to meet Lizzie from A House in the Country. We got time for a hug, and will hopefully meet up at the next show! Lizzie is just as I imagined her – as vibrant and gorgeous in ‘real life’ as she is in her written word! Lizzie was with the wonderful Jodie and Annie. I have to tell you that Jodie was sporting the most amazing red polkadot-with pom-pom trolley that I drooled all over (Sorry Jod if it got wet… thank goodness you made it from oilcloth!!!)



I was very refrained – unlike me I know! But I did buy these fabrics from my favourite stall, Thread and Ginger.



Thread and ginger fabrics 2_picnik



These are Tilda fabrics. I also picked up these romantic fabrics by Quilt Gate, it’s the Mary Rose Collection.



Thread and ginger fabrics_picnik





I have been stealing a few moments in between kids play dates and general holiday-activities, to write a new pattern too… burning the midnight oil as it’s the only time of the day where there is complete peace and quiet! Aaaahhhh the serenity!!!!



I’d just like to take this opportunity my friends, to apologize for not responding to my comments of late – time has just run away with me and it really prays on my mind that I haven’t replied even just to say “thanks for dropping by!” I really appreciate you taking the time to stop and leave me a note – so please forgive me and know that I sincerely enjoy reading your messages. I shall give myself a wrap over the knuckles on your behalf! Smile



Lots of love to you all and HAPPY EASTER!



Hugs! Vikki xo

Thursday, April 14, 2011

A morning at the Ceramic Cafe

We are almost at the end of our first week of school holidays here in Victoria, and there has been a lot of crafty pursuits happening in the SUDs household, including baking, drawing and painting… soon I shall be teaching my young daughter some sewing, too!


But today we took our paintbrushes outside of the home and met up with some like-minded friends (my “painting buddies”, Anne & Karen, and their two gorgeous girls) to go to the amazing Ceramic Cafe.


Ceramic cafe Rose 1


Just look at the concentration on my DD’s face!


Ceramic cafe Rose painting



A gorgeous rainbow-coloured Kitty!


Ceramic cafe Rosies cupcake 2


Rosie’s completed cupcake… ready to be glazed and fired along with these beauties…


Ceramic cafe finished items_picnik


The cupcake in the pic above is the one I painted… but Rosie’s is much more creative!


We had such a fun morning, the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves – as did us adults! If you live in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne and are looking for a fun activity this school holidays – I thoroughly recommend this place!


Now to wait a week and collect our finished items… what shall we do in the meantime? Hmmm… more painting!! Smile


Hugs! Vikki & Rosie xx


Ceramic cafe Rose and Mummy picnicked


We have a Winner!

Wow!! You girls are just too good at guessing pressies! So you think the surprise package might be Pom Pom Paris?


You may well be right! BUT… I have a trick up my sleeve – and the lucky winner still won’t know what the surprise is until she has unwrapped the white box itself! Smile


So without further ado… the winner is…


the lovely Illene of Retdairyqueen


Congratulations, Illene! Could you please send me your postal address?


Okay – another clue!



Bon Appetit!



Hugs!!! Vikki xo

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Surprise giveaway–another clue!

You girls are just WAY too good at guessing games! You were absolutely right with the answer to my first clue - French General. So here is another clue for you to ponder before my giveaway closes tomorrow at 12.00 noon.


Something to whet your appetite…


Eiffel Tower



Paris



Paris Mont Marte



Paris arc de triumph


I have on order some gorgeous creations… they’re being posted from the country that is home to this beautiful City… and then of course there is that extra something that’s scrummy and delicious! Smile


If you haven’t done so already – you can still enter here. I shall announce the winner tomorrow night – but the giveaway will remain a surprise until the parcel has reached it’s final destination. Although there may be a few sneak peeks before that day arrives!


I hope you’re enjoying this as much as I am!


Au Revoir!


Vikki xo Smile


Photos courtesy of sxc.hu.com

Friday, April 8, 2011

Some bunny is SO cute!

Easter costume tummy egg


This Easter Bunny has a sweet shabby egg on her tummy…


bunny costume feet and tail


She has the cutest fluffy tail, and pink pads on her hind legs…


bunny costume ears


And big bunny ears just the right size to cover two little girls’ ponytails!


~~~


If you look carefully – you can see the Easter Bunny hopping through the trees in the school yard today…


Bunny 3


If you ask her nicely, she might even let you take a photo…


Bunny 2


Isn’t she the cutest???


Bunny 1 black and white


Peek-a-boo, Easter Bunny! I hope you have a fun day at school on this, your last day of term!


Bunny Hugs!! Mummy xo Smile

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Revamping some new (old) finds!

Wow – thank you for the fantastic response to my surprise giveaway! I have enjoyed reading your comments and listening to your stories of gift-giving and receiving!


It seems like quite a number of you like to squeeze and shake your parcels, and ask the gift-giver lots of questions. I have a very expressionate face that gives away everything… so it’s a good job there’s no web-cam here! Smile


Okay! So here’s a cryptic clue: You don’t need to be a General to enjoy this textured bliss!


Has that got you thinking??


~~~


On to other ‘doings’! I am SO excited because I recently purchased a pre-loved desk from my local charity shop.


New desk picnicked


I love it! What do you think? It looks in great condition but does need a new paint-job; so I’ve left it in our family room until I get around to doing the messy jobs of sanding and painting. I need to get some good lighting for it too – as that’s one essential element that is missing from my current work space.


My friends know only too well how I feel about my creative area – I refer to it as “the teenage boys’ den”. I only have one teenager but my husband counts for at least two more!!! The room is cluttered and untidy with chip packets wafting around the room like tumbleweed… oh okay… I’m exaggerating about the chip packets but you get the picture?!


When I spotted this desk I thought I could live in shabby chic heaven… even if the rest of the room is covered in Xbox games and controllers… at least I can look directly in front of me at the country-style desk, and lose myself in it! I’ll show you step-by-step as I make my sewing-space transformation!


While at the charity shop I also picked up this little wooden crib:


New toy cot


I have started base-coating it in white, and look forward to making some sweet bedding to fit it. It’s a surprise Easter gift for my daughter! Talking of Easter, I also need to make a bunny costume for an Easter-themed day at school this Friday… wish me luck!


Until next time – hugs! Vikki xx


ps. My giveaway is open until next Wednesday – so if you haven’t done so already – you can still enter!

Friday, April 1, 2011

A Giveaway full of surprise!!

Do you like surprises?


Are you one of those people who surreptitiously rips the wrapping paper of a parcel to peek at what’s inside? Or - on the contrary – would you look away sharpish if you thought that the surprise might be accidentally revealed before it’s time???


I fall in to the second category – I don’t like to know what’s inside a parcel until it’s time to open it! My sister in England, on the other hand, can guess what’s inside a parcel at ten paces! Over the years, my brother and I have tried to disguise gifts within oversized boxes, and she will even guess that we’ve done just that. She’s a little minx!


So this is where YOU come in! I’d like to surprise one of you with a giveaway – but I’m not going to tell you what it is! Does that sound fair? <giggle>


Giveaway button


It’s easy to enter – all you have to do is leave me one comment for one entry. If you are a follower of my blog, or become a follower, please leave a comment for a second entry. Simple as that! The only condition is that you leave me a way of getting in contact with you, should you be the winner! If you like, I’d love to hear about any funny gift-giving stories you may have! Or you could share what your all-time-favourite-gift has been?!


This giveaway is open until Wednesday 13 April, 12:00 noon, Melbourne time. THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED


You know – I’m feeling in a very impish mood – I think I’ll be giving you some teasers over the next 12 days!!!!


I look forward to hearing from you!


Hugs! Vikki Smile

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