Believe.... Imagine....Shine

Recently I received an exciting surprise from Julye http://julyebs.blogspot.com/   she has kindly picked my little blog for this 
award.  Her blog Julye Bs is full of great handcrafted and designed cards, she inspires all to give it a go too. One very crafty lady indeed.
So check out her creations for yourself and catch up on whats happening
in the UK while you are visiting! Thanks so much Julye for the award. 



The aim of this award is to showcase other great but not so well known
blogs that we love to follow. Ones that have less that 3000 followers.
1/ If you accept it you have to display it and write about it in a post.
2/ Pass it on to 3 to 5 others and let them know too.
3/ Link back to the person who gave it to you.

When I first found the Blog World it opened up to me as a few
favourite blogs that I would follow and enjoy. Now I have a long list
that I enjoy following regularly all with a unique style.

Here are my top picks.
Tina at Rubies Place http://therubieplace.blogspot.com/
Her blog is so inviting that I feel quite at home!
Although she has such a crisp, clear, clutter free but calming
blog full of lovely craft projects to share. Beautiful photography
and home decorating tips. Fellow Aussie and Etsy Store owner
she shares her wonderful handcrafted items with us all.

Carol at Naturally Carol lives in wonderful Queensland and shares
her passion for sewing and creating with us. She is kind hearted
and I love checking up on what she is up to. Her photography always
takes me to the tropics with its colours. It was a happy day when
I finally found her blog!


Kim at Happy @ Home http://kimshappyhome.blogspot.com/
  takes us to her beautifully decorated home and garden in USA.
So I also get to share her seasons with her. 
She loves Vintage and lovely gardens and so do I. I enjoy seeing what
she doing and enjoy her wonderful photography of the area and her travels. 
Come and visit her also!

Moon Doggie is in UK and I just love all the Retro and Vintage fun
that happens here on this fun filled blog. I always feel light hearted
and happy that I have visited to share in all the Moon Doggie Delights!
She just cracks me up!

OK now that is my duty done! Enjoy yourself!
Sorry my linky thing is playing up today! Sometimes it works
sometimes it does not!



Autumn is upon us at last and we are getting much cooler weather
here is South Australia. Some rain also and the garden is springing
back to life after all the hot dry weather. This photo was taken in
Brisbane while on holidays a few years ago. It does remind me of
all the green grass that is growing extra fast at the moment!

Hope you are all enjoying a great week and I have lots more
photos to share soon.
Bye for Now, Sue xOxOx

Sail Away PS I love Johnny D xxxxx

With this week zooming by in a flash it is time to say thank-you to 
Yvonne at Apricot Rose Dressmaking for allowing me to use
her Mannequin for my etsy shop Vintage fashion photo shoot last Saturday.
If you live in South Australia you can find Apricot Rose Boutique at
Walkerville. She specializes in Bridal Creations and Dressmaking.
Thanks so much for the helping hand and not only did I go away with
some happy snaps I gained my very own Mannequin! 
All done while picking up my daughter's expertly altered Wedding Dress.
We are counting down to the special day now 6 months to go.

So I created this new card design specially to say thank-you. 
The rose is a beautiful peachy tone very special, one of a kind rose
that my late Father-in-law cultivated many years ago.
I call it the family rose and it has always been a favourite of mine.
Remember the days when roses smelt so sweet? I do!
   

These are the pretty girls in my life. Photos taken last weekend while
puppy sitting Arbee the little blue heeler. Much like having a very
active toddler on our hands, a few fun filled days!  

While the week started off fun filled we have had a close family
member sick in hospital this week. So we are wishing for a speedy
recovery and hope that she will be back home soon and feeling fighting
fit once again. So this is my answer to at least dreaming about being
elsewhere than in a hospital bed. This fun creation was taken in
Cairns while on holidays and you can only imagine our excitement to
encounter  our very own Pirate Ship! For all those who like me have
 had a not so secret crush on Mr Johnny D since the 80's Enjoy! 



This week I am capturing the Irish in Me. I am checking out my family
history and reminiscing  about the 70's and 80's when everything was new,
shiny and undiscovered. I am thinking of my dear Grandpa who would
have been the grand old age of 109 on St Patrick's Day!
Thanks for being so special to all our family Papa.

Luck of the Irish from this Hanrahan clan,
Have a Great week-end all!
Best Wishes, Sue xOxOx



Picture Paints a Thousand Words

When you are stuck for words a picture can paint a 1000!
Look around you for the extraordinary  you will be surprised
at what you can find. Make sure you look up as well.

Somethings you can look at a 1000 times and never tire of
the beauty and wonder.

You can just stumble across a treasure that has been sitting waiting 
to be discovered by just you!



Hi Everyone
I have been searching for a photo in my computer files.
What I thought I wanted to find ended up being something
completely different to what I started out looking for.
Maybe if I was more organized it would not have been
quite the adventure and time consuming task that it was.
But then again I have found a hand full of gems that I
had no idea existed! Sometimes you just need to look at
things through fresh eyes.

Photo number one is an second floor of a building in Hindley Street,
Adelaide. I took this when I was doing night classes in town.
I love the colours and design that jump out at you if you
take the time to slow down and just look up for the unexpected.

Photo number two is taken of a beautifully hand crafted memory
quilt that my sister-in-law got for her wedding anniversary.
It alone holds treasures to explore and I never tire of looking
at this amazing piece. When I visit it takes centre stage and
never disappoints in surprising me with the photos it displays.

Photo number three is a classic, past its best days but still able
to captivate its passers by. I took this while walking the dog
one day last year. My sister and I have a fun story of how I
tried to do some city driving in the early 80's in one of these
VW Bugs. Being a country driver I was more used to dodging
the odd pack of sheep on the road than packing this little
car with three littlies and shopping in town.
I make a rule now I am much older and wiser not to drive
unfamiliar cars that I do not own myself.
Bunny hopping and not finding gears to be able to
get ourselves home is not much fun and asking a kind
passer by how to get it going again was very funny now we 
look back on it!  So the rule is never tire of looking for
the unexpected and have fun when you do find it!
Love and Best Wishes, Sue 

Special Thoughts to all in need....Sending lots of love and comfort

A beautiful Summers Day at Glenelg Beach, South Australia.

A visit to see some sweet Gouldian Finches

Some sit still for a photo and say Hello

Hi every one, another week gone by and so much happening.
Last weekend hubby and I spent time away helping move house
in the country for my sister-in-law. I hope she enjoys her new
home town and settles in quickly while making lots of new
friends. We as a family all pitched in to help get it done
fast before the rain on Saturday made things too difficult.
Anyway its amazing what gets done with so many helpers!

I had time to quickly visit my brother-in-laws new
Gouldian Finches that he will be breeding in a mix of
the most amazing colours. I am not a great lover of birds
in cages but these little guys are very happy and so well
loved and looked after that they are hard to resist!
I think they would be easy pickings in the wild with the
bright colours and they are tiny birds. Hope you enjoy the photos.
I will be keeping a close eye on these beautiful creatures.

Again we are sad with the loss of a dear family friend 
Peter who passed away after a battle with cancer.
He was brave and tried to do all he could to fight it.
The photo of Glenelg Beach was taken when we last spent
time together visiting and wishing him well.
The sun was shining and it was a warm summers day.
He was enjoying some time with family away from hospital.
All our love goes to Kay his wife and his boys and hope
that the sad days will be brief and the happy times shared will
give them comfort to share.

Since tuesday all thoughts have been with Christchurch,
New Zealand. The Earthquake toll has been great and 
I know that all of the world will be sad with the loss of
so many. We pray for the strenght to cope at such a 
sad time and give thanks to all those who have been
helping with rescue efforts. 

Love and best wishes, Sue xOxOx

  

Happiness is New Puppy Love

 "Happiness is like a kiss. You must share it to enjoy it"     
                                                                                                                                                                      Anonymous

 

Nothing more fun than a new puppy!
So busy exploring the backyard and making new friends. 

 

This brilliant pink flowered frangipani tree in my local area is a
natural beauty. Soon it will be covered in bouquets of lovely flowers.

Our tomatoes are ripe now and ready to eat! They are whoppers!

Nothing like dogs at play to make you smile!

Things that make me smile and lift my spirits.
Once again it is the simple things that bring happiness to our days.
I would have to say that one of the things I enjoy the most is taking
Missy the dog for a daily walk around my local area.
A surprise is always waiting for me, Nature and the changing
Seasons. New bloom's and busy birds.
Taking in the fresh air and getting exercise at the same time!
It is frangipani flowering time and I love them and we were
proud owners of lots of them when we lived in the tropics.
Hubby got me one at the beginning of last year so it is tiny and
no flowers just yet:(  I have to be patient.
One day it will be as beautiful as the one in my photo and it has
a very special position in our newly planned garden.

You see we have a new puppy in our family.
It belongs to my son and his partner. They are proud new parents.
So that makes me a new Nana and sometimes dog sitter.
Arbee is a 7 week old Blue Heeler ( Australian Cattle Dog)
So Missy and the new little girl got to get to know each other
and had so much fun playing and exploring the backyard.
How much fun is it having a puppy around? Lots!





WINNER of the Valentine Give Away is Krista from
Saturated Canary Art who will be putting this headband to good

use. Thanks to everyone who visits my little blog. Some of you

have the most beautiful sites yourself so I am very pleased to

be included in such great company. I now have visitors from

all over the globe. Very exciting!

Hope you all have the very best day!

Love Sue xOxOx









Give Away for Valentines Day



Valentines Day is almost here again!
Here are my beautiful Gumnut Babies from WA.



Making some cards for special people ;)

Plenty of special people in my life
those who are special everyday not just one day a year!
She is a 1960's Beauty here.



Time for a Give Away!
What better time than for Valentines Day?

Make a comment and go in the draw for this sweet flower girl headband
from Nyjole Jewellery at etsy.
The flowergirl hairband features clear crystal rhinestones with a silky
white elastic band. Measuring 10cm (4in) x 3.3cm (1.25in)
The band is 1.3cm (1/2in) wide.
Many thanks to Nyjole for letting me use her beautiful photo so that it
looks as special as it is in real life and for creating such a pretty  headband.

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago I picked this out
from the Australian Disaster Relief Etsy Shop that is raising money to help with the Queensland Floods. What a great way to get together
and make such a difference. Click on the link and have a look at
all the things our talented Aussie Etsians create.
I know that you all have some extra sweet girls who would just
love this headband!

I will be drawing the winner Tuesday morning the 15th Feb so that 
everyone has a chance to be in it to win it!

Also my way to say a big thank you to all the wonderful
friends I have been able to get to know through my little blog
over the past 6 months.

Some of you have wonderful blogs and I love hearing all your news.
I do hope you all are safe and happy after the past month
with the floods and cyclones in Queensland.
Hopefully it is time to just enjoy the Australian Summer.

Happy Valentines Day for the 14th.
Make sure you simply make the time to let everyone know
 how much you love them! You can do it anytime you like!

Best Wishes, Sue xOxOx





Fun, Sweet Vintage Book



Plenty of Vintage fun in this wonderful book.

Beautiful illustrations and plenty of French words to learn!

The gift of a beautiful book 

                                  Like a lot of you I have a love of books.
                     My local library has a wealth of  treasures that need to
                            be explored when I have the time to visit.

That usually means that in a months time I head back with a 

heavy pile of books to return!  Lucky for me the selection seems

to be never ending;)

I remember my first trips to the local BIG Library as a child.

I remember the first book that took my imagination to a place

that I had never been before. Such a special gift to have the

love of books. Even now just as much as then I treasure it.

Well today I have one such book that I ordered from

fellow Etsian Louise at pour toujours   Etsy store.

Click on the link and visit her lovely vintage collectibles shop.

She also has the most wonderful blog. Great to see what is

happening in Canada when we are having a Summer scorcher

she is enjoying some fun in the snow!

This Children's Christmas Story book is a great Vintage

collectors item for me especially because I would love to

be able to read all the french words it holds.

With such beautiful illustrations all is not lost.

They even have a gold paint effect that shimmers in places.

On another Blog that I love Betty Crocker {Wannabe} it

had a great idea about Kristen's collection of children's Christmas

books she had saved over the years.
Wrapping them up ready to read one each night

leading up to Christmas Day to her children.

Such a lovely idea! Great one to share with you.

Now we are over all the Christmas rush and well into

enjoying some Summer fun.

Every time I treat myself to something special from Etsy

I am very much like a child at Christmas but all year around!

I know someone has loved this book as much as I will over the years.

Have a special week everyone,

Sue xOxOx  

PS Please do not be put off by strange changes in my blog

appearance. I am bravely trying new things;) But not all

works out as planned and I think practise makes perfect, one day.