tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-49891786636232240992024-03-14T04:40:21.903+11:00renovate + decorateThe drama! The tears! The dust! Turning a house into a homebelinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.comBlogger237125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-7486923631871088232009-02-19T16:14:00.005+11:002009-02-19T16:48:43.428+11:00i'm moving!<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8epVkcROCZfW0RKu9av-4UHpT_F4vH3uS2MY-0SBvynj0lSxvwrP25UzMQkWmyRBSHNR-YelviBU6lUwou31lDrCyeXd-ESnIr8JTzML8k19buwNBlO7J722Sr_F5axUJznyax6zP7yjU/s1600-h/happyhome.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304377351448376594" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 219px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8epVkcROCZfW0RKu9av-4UHpT_F4vH3uS2MY-0SBvynj0lSxvwrP25UzMQkWmyRBSHNR-YelviBU6lUwou31lDrCyeXd-ESnIr8JTzML8k19buwNBlO7J722Sr_F5axUJznyax6zP7yjU/s320/happyhome.bmp" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left">Not house (goodness, who'd buy it?!), but web address. Also changing: blog name, host, look and some of the content. You can read all about over there. If you've linked to me here, I'd love for you to update your links to <a href="http://thehappyhomeblog.com/">thehappyhomeblog.com</a> - if you still think it worthy of linking to of course! See you there (hopefully!)<br />Bxx </p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-44346521562100301232009-02-17T21:33:00.004+11:002009-02-17T22:55:34.255+11:00kitchen reno part 2<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WNIQ6La63DnM5SRW9F9Qzif4pTX8aU1-pTo7qKIjP0xAG8OAECYX5zPr_8vaCbxfWNj8zMJISMs0Qf7i5MBDmZy1smYJpaJDp8BzmsTdyyPNtdPdg_Srg2TBhCIHj3mWZIN3SQ1ThJiE/s1600-h/100_3143.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303713540895090706" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5WNIQ6La63DnM5SRW9F9Qzif4pTX8aU1-pTo7qKIjP0xAG8OAECYX5zPr_8vaCbxfWNj8zMJISMs0Qf7i5MBDmZy1smYJpaJDp8BzmsTdyyPNtdPdg_Srg2TBhCIHj3mWZIN3SQ1ThJiE/s320/100_3143.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">From the living room. I'm getting a light fitting put in over the dining table. I have a Tord Boontjie garland light fitting I was thinking of putting there but am worried it'll be too small - thoughts?</span></p><div>Slowly, slowly the place is starting to resemble a house again. I spent the weekend putting the doors on and the shelves in place and tidying up the endless supply of sawdust lying around the place (thanks to the rain, the benchtop and sink hole was cut inside. So you can imagine how pleased I was about that). And this is how it looks now. </div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVyUU-hDfl5NGsB3i6cWCinWfyiaXztvDuGL5J2LfWkN_VjaOTlM5jKrWM5t36R9pv82Gf7BVYAyMcwLHQ7-p75X-VKYizZtvkv7cOjDeyqEYbywdmvlLLojbVQ-Z-AOFZAoTvmAdJVJa/s1600-h/100_3135.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303713547380651042" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDVyUU-hDfl5NGsB3i6cWCinWfyiaXztvDuGL5J2LfWkN_VjaOTlM5jKrWM5t36R9pv82Gf7BVYAyMcwLHQ7-p75X-VKYizZtvkv7cOjDeyqEYbywdmvlLLojbVQ-Z-AOFZAoTvmAdJVJa/s320/100_3135.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">The view from the hallway.</span></p><div>I had to go back to Ikea today to get the plinths (kickboards to cover the legs) and a few other things they either didn't have before (like LACK wall shelves) or that I totally forgot to buy last time I was there (shelves for the end cabinets that face into the dining/living room). I also was desperate to get the benchtop oil because it hasn't been treated yet. I'm hardly precious about things and quite like the timeworn look of wooden benches and tables. But I'm NOT happy that on the second day of the sink side being completed I discovered this...<br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRMngR2NowVIVO7T02BSCh5abSC0nf0CzTfYgeL-oIiPN7YvwqHalwrzWWGGySeCovF1S-Q8wCo8HxM-AU04n_eHDCd7yBCLFcm8L23HefIrkCixmKDxPCB-OuIiCzZ3dCeqTrlbGT6GE/s1600-h/100_3132.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303713556991989426" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRMngR2NowVIVO7T02BSCh5abSC0nf0CzTfYgeL-oIiPN7YvwqHalwrzWWGGySeCovF1S-Q8wCo8HxM-AU04n_eHDCd7yBCLFcm8L23HefIrkCixmKDxPCB-OuIiCzZ3dCeqTrlbGT6GE/s320/100_3132.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Naughty naughty</span></p><div>Luckily, this should easily sand out (hope so anyway!). But people are still banned from my house now because I also discovered yesterday that the electrician had damaged one of the doors while leaning over to fix one of the power points with his tool belt. I'm going to turn it around and swap with the door next to it so problem solved but still highly annoying. </div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dIQkmPloTZkAi-XtTPY3wQ8aiNhhYnBtkjNStmJz-REzc_QPJOXVtDBubTSF2cRR6b8A3o01BNX30v6Q1zMh6biTk-SoCJCD7gYARXc3d1d_Kq_JjP75s9DBVNtsS1PMMZ11z15Irwfu/s1600-h/100_3130.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303713554773955602" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8dIQkmPloTZkAi-XtTPY3wQ8aiNhhYnBtkjNStmJz-REzc_QPJOXVtDBubTSF2cRR6b8A3o01BNX30v6Q1zMh6biTk-SoCJCD7gYARXc3d1d_Kq_JjP75s9DBVNtsS1PMMZ11z15Irwfu/s320/100_3130.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Plates and random glass collection!</span></p><div>Not annoying, however, is the fact I can access my plates and glasses by simply shoving my hand through the top of the cupboard (I haven't put the handles on the doors yet so the less opening and closing of doors, the better!). Obviously this is temporary until the benchtops get put on next week!</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwtFR4JYr9UftCiN0oO556peX8YDpq9mHvOjlglu5IKfQR20xaWXjoBdDJScQPQRYL7Eu1yq45q__ss7j_3UnZSwRuWCvF6YSYzX7d4R0k9jsAOBxgslh1xflQyLVrbwg0u1LMS9YMWPE/s1600-h/100_3134.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303716071226200322" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQwtFR4JYr9UftCiN0oO556peX8YDpq9mHvOjlglu5IKfQR20xaWXjoBdDJScQPQRYL7Eu1yq45q__ss7j_3UnZSwRuWCvF6YSYzX7d4R0k9jsAOBxgslh1xflQyLVrbwg0u1LMS9YMWPE/s320/100_3134.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">The sink, gooseneck tap and dishwasher - my true love! How did I put up with handwashing for sooooo many years?</span></p><div>So this is the sink side. I bought shelves for these base cabinets today and there will be an open shelf the full length of the wall just above the tap and then three horizontal wall cabinets above that. Now, my dilemma. I wasn't going to get a splashback for either side - just one little piece behind the stovetop. But I will, because I think it'll finish off the space and also because I'll <em>need</em> one!! The wall is so uneven there is a rather large gap between the benchtop and the wall. Plus, while being extra careful because of the non-oiled benchtop, I've realised how much water goes everywhere in a kitchen. Never noticed this before! Glass is out of my budget, stainless steel won't go and so I'm starting to lean towards tiles which I was sooooo against just days ago. Any other suggestions? I seriously considered pressed metal (a friend has it in her kitchen and it looks amazing) but I can't imagine that being very practical or easy to clean. So if you have any brilliant ideas/suggestions, I'd love to hear.<br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0xScovZmQbFkCRfGhseNybnnPOXbRKyE4gLsNKpz4itv5MOJx0vyVtPQA_nXDpscQmv-zd6-iwJPeIoSTnanmE9m5wAHKiC6Eilk9-PcW8JMnzfROyu0lAaWruJLKeXd4R7EhQn9rn4P/s1600-h/100_3137.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303716074352876050" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO0xScovZmQbFkCRfGhseNybnnPOXbRKyE4gLsNKpz4itv5MOJx0vyVtPQA_nXDpscQmv-zd6-iwJPeIoSTnanmE9m5wAHKiC6Eilk9-PcW8JMnzfROyu0lAaWruJLKeXd4R7EhQn9rn4P/s320/100_3137.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Here are the holes the electrician cut in the wrong space. Steve patched them up today, but the eventual splashback will cover them anyway. Phew. But note to oven manufacturers: I'd happily pay an extra dollar or whatever it'd cost to put on vinyl stickers instead of those crap cheap ones that DON'T COME OFF. Gotta get some metho or something. Grr</span></p><div><strong>Still to do....</strong></div><div>- Paint the back wall properly (and the little wall with bathroom door in it - plasterer only finished patching it up with this most recent job)</div><div>- Paint the ceiling</div><div>- Paint the window architraves</div><div>- Sand back and re-stain the floor</div><div>- Build and attach the wall cabinets and open shelves</div><div>- Place the other benchtop</div><div>- Hook up the rangehood</div><div>- Attach the plinths</div><div>- Oil the benchtops</div><div>- Get a splashback</div><div>- Figure out what to put above the fridge - there will be cover panels on either side of it so you won't see the sides of the fridge. Wall cabinets will be too shallow and base cabinets too high for the space, so maybe shelves? But they'll be too far back too. Might need to custom-make deep shelves for the space.<br /></div><div>Hmm, that should keep us busy!!</div>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-52046729768746536632009-02-16T22:09:00.007+11:002009-02-16T23:05:54.195+11:00you can thank us for all the rain and cold...<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxvdASq__18sGtKyH49kV2trlQpynG7iV-yIlYJJ2e788l1S7UKAaa5NUVEULU05MN_s0fjqwqX7dIW4GLOtNiqLy5GnhpN1Tf-jQWgTbHKDAi-U4dYxZgQHkSkwHvy59L94TpI7nEinD/s1600-h/100_3121.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303356638820445618" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyxvdASq__18sGtKyH49kV2trlQpynG7iV-yIlYJJ2e788l1S7UKAaa5NUVEULU05MN_s0fjqwqX7dIW4GLOtNiqLy5GnhpN1Tf-jQWgTbHKDAi-U4dYxZgQHkSkwHvy59L94TpI7nEinD/s320/100_3121.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I'm a fan of my new living room fan. I'm also a fan of the fact I can walk around this room again without tripping over a saucepan or slipping on sawdust! PS: That corner cabinet is usually home to linens and towels. This is until the wall cabinets go up in the kitchen. More on the kitchen tomorrow. PPS: I know I say this a lot, but apologies for crappy quality of images. Turns out, it's a crappy camera, not crappy photography. I know what I want for my birthday this year...</span></p>You know how when you wash your car, it rains? Well we had a double whammy: we had bore water installed last week and so it has not stopped raining since. We've used the bore water once. We also had fans installed in all the rooms, hence the wintery weather. And of course, to top it all off, we're all running out of clothes because nothing is drying in the awful weather and we didn't have much to choose from in the first place because I pretty much threw out the entire contents of my wardrobe one "I'm sick of my clothes" day and because the babies grow quicker than I can shop for them. So anyway, you might recall my <a href="http://renovateanddecorate.blogspot.com/2008/07/when-did-ceiling-fans-get-funky.html">whinging</a> about the fact my husband wanted a different fan to the modern silver ones we were putting in the bedrooms? Well, I finally got him to the fan shop to choose this "different" fan and this is the result. Steve attempted to choose the bronze version but after headslapping him for such a suggestion, I pointed out the nice black version and SIX WEEKS LATER it finally managed to get attached to the ceiling. So after all my umming and ahhing about whether it'd look weird, it's in and I actually love it! It doesn't have a light on it, so we had wall lights installed on one side of the room and they're all glowy right now and lighting up the room up perfectly. Of course, none of the fan/light installation throughout the house was without drama: wiring in wrong place, no wiring at all, too much wiring, bonus studs and beams, complications in putting fan together... The fun of renovating an old place. Apparently, the previous owners had done some rather strange DIY electrical work. But considering these very same people tiled the back of the bathroom door, I wasn't even slightly surprised at this news! So what do you think of the fan? Fit in ok? We choose the eco version of the Futura Lucci for the bedrooms in the matte silver. They're great - nice and quiet and for fans, look nice too!belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-89747134954789411452009-02-12T22:40:00.001+11:002009-02-12T22:50:37.859+11:00Share the love this Valentine's Day<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnP9P-bH19TQ9f0s0sLIsNlpf6UxsUweyLoU8kvZlrQSSoa-Ymbp6Xfu8cpTPT7nreuHfKNuss-jGgO92Knn08CKBsOXRh71MPsJUvE_JD3uPLyW5hvtetAlhLjAxZlKrbWEQZ4jX3EXjx/s1600-h/valentines_day_card.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301876293667335746" style="WIDTH: 299px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnP9P-bH19TQ9f0s0sLIsNlpf6UxsUweyLoU8kvZlrQSSoa-Ymbp6Xfu8cpTPT7nreuHfKNuss-jGgO92Knn08CKBsOXRh71MPsJUvE_JD3uPLyW5hvtetAlhLjAxZlKrbWEQZ4jX3EXjx/s320/valentines_day_card.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Share the love: give your pennies to the fire victims and use this as a card to remind your loved one how damn lucky you are to be able to see them, hold them, have them still in your life...</span></p>I'm in the process of packing up a big batch of clothing for the bushfire appeal, but I also love this idea I heard about today: Sydney artist Matthew Martin is encouraging lovers to print out this sweet design to use as a Valentine's Day card and donate the money you'd spend on cards, chocolates or other gifts to the victims of the Victorian bushfires. Go to this <a href="http://blogs.abc.net.au/nsw/2009/02/mathew-martins.html">link</a> to print it out and don't forget to call the Australian Red Cross on 1800 811 700 to donate. Hallmark will understand. I don't usually "do" Valentine's Day, but I'm all for it this year, in this way. xbelinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com168tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-84927787781841631392009-02-12T21:27:00.006+11:002009-02-12T22:59:44.081+11:00kitchen reno part 1<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTbJb4dRlpLbwqnN0IKSx7VcsTP5JZxOgRjzGJYWPdhy2uklF7orBrIPIKQI4ikMahyphenhyphenHNKSqXElzXVlyfhYFW-CzNZr2FVj3fLj-OYi2hd8ne1Hb5lZNVHqrvhNzbnEM8JXaXQLy3Nt3z/s1600-h/100_3110.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301866781342386018" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCTbJb4dRlpLbwqnN0IKSx7VcsTP5JZxOgRjzGJYWPdhy2uklF7orBrIPIKQI4ikMahyphenhyphenHNKSqXElzXVlyfhYFW-CzNZr2FVj3fLj-OYi2hd8ne1Hb5lZNVHqrvhNzbnEM8JXaXQLy3Nt3z/s320/100_3110.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">What I'm looking at right now. You should see the other side of the living room! </span></p><p align="left"><strong>Am completely knackered, so not going to bore with all the details just yet, but let me update you in numbers and pictures...</strong><br />Number of days without a kitchen: 8<br />Number of sandwiches eaten: 42<br />Number of arms incredibly sore from sanding and painting three times in one day: 2 (they would be mine)<br />Number of hiccups so far: 6<br />Most number of trips to the hardware store in one day: 6<br />Number of cabinets in place: 5<br />Number of cabinets to still be put into place: 10<br />Number of taps working: 0<br />Number of appliances working: 0<br />Number of holes in the wrong place the electician cut into the wall that was already sanded and painted? 2<br />Number of flies killed because the doors were open all day every day: 723. Wait. 724<br />Number of times we've fallen onto our butts because the floor is so damn slippery from all the swept up sawdust? Me: 2; Steve: 1; Z: 4<br />Number of days before my dad can come back and finish putting the kitchen in: 12 :(<br />Number of hours before we can get water and power on in the kitchen: oh god please let it be no more than 15!</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoB8Fn97RqafzboF2EXJ_f0J2XjxqSp_heHxPB-LdPNcw1nv1_Lw9E_4uxiCq0YZ8AHe2CE6SNdxltw5OfVhOZ3mmz5IU9N_ib-3C7lPAJ20YTP05RGpUMxXVhH0UqIfs96MKS7yYxx_Vk/s1600-h/100_3024.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301871160738973650" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoB8Fn97RqafzboF2EXJ_f0J2XjxqSp_heHxPB-LdPNcw1nv1_Lw9E_4uxiCq0YZ8AHe2CE6SNdxltw5OfVhOZ3mmz5IU9N_ib-3C7lPAJ20YTP05RGpUMxXVhH0UqIfs96MKS7yYxx_Vk/s320/100_3024.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Day 1: Looking better already!</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTzQvPuJSgX9L6FBFQxlt1MMtiZYuaPIrmgTAerS_iXbY7hSk6x_gdrP_tHdufF_oigryfWDg_NHLi65aNgMs8jl8DiWGjOWX6rFHl8qs6iiiUQy-P7h-3I-VO7BaLIU2n0E2iwcw7tgS/s1600-h/100_3026.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301871154614851042" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijTzQvPuJSgX9L6FBFQxlt1MMtiZYuaPIrmgTAerS_iXbY7hSk6x_gdrP_tHdufF_oigryfWDg_NHLi65aNgMs8jl8DiWGjOWX6rFHl8qs6iiiUQy-P7h-3I-VO7BaLIU2n0E2iwcw7tgS/s320/100_3026.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">The mouse's house (left) and grass growing inside the wall!!</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0p5grBueVK03_0NJPlPq0Uh7ZTWjTopZAHiOPSupw-5zonmhyB-cHbid0SeT2m4zuBDP88wON2wL7Zc32Z1cQleZmVqkgnu8Vg8wBjOyjZP-0Zogna1sNdqoLfvWM461Onb0QnJ_auWd/s1600-h/100_3054.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301871150291999970" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji0p5grBueVK03_0NJPlPq0Uh7ZTWjTopZAHiOPSupw-5zonmhyB-cHbid0SeT2m4zuBDP88wON2wL7Zc32Z1cQleZmVqkgnu8Vg8wBjOyjZP-0Zogna1sNdqoLfvWM461Onb0QnJ_auWd/s320/100_3054.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Several floorboards had to be replaced. We nearly had this gaping hole overnight, but luckily the new floor was put in on time.</span> </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhthW_IBvRZ4KtmhLBq2QtHMpW4onVkYMXhdwFcqfYpbpj8uPaADag0EOKA-JwYgNvkjUFUuHh-hUK7A-poJeFNzSpfLf1Jvv499V_J5d2D7UBnqevftF8CXAPXli0jJRvp-yhwbN4g6xs/s1600-h/100_3063.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301871150058115906" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhthW_IBvRZ4KtmhLBq2QtHMpW4onVkYMXhdwFcqfYpbpj8uPaADag0EOKA-JwYgNvkjUFUuHh-hUK7A-poJeFNzSpfLf1Jvv499V_J5d2D7UBnqevftF8CXAPXli0jJRvp-yhwbN4g6xs/s320/100_3063.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color:#999999;">Day 2: Electrical and plumbing work</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1TV2H7npd2dBUiMAiJ8gQC9Uyh2I9oG6yehJsYaA7gqWxt1BnF2CYTSiNqeVHaVZKTVqH4ShWJJ3qMtPHIQjF3wzMQFWb-xK6hy5FUr_gBCmWDGeIH2GN55Z593TOYRCA3TbaqMW0wQQ/s1600-h/100_3097.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301866785663407746" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx1TV2H7npd2dBUiMAiJ8gQC9Uyh2I9oG6yehJsYaA7gqWxt1BnF2CYTSiNqeVHaVZKTVqH4ShWJJ3qMtPHIQjF3wzMQFWb-xK6hy5FUr_gBCmWDGeIH2GN55Z593TOYRCA3TbaqMW0wQQ/s320/100_3097.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Day 5: new walls in and plastered and lights installed</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfLNbm4XaQ6vVkbhLXFVSvC6ABaBisY_oth1ntY_YlvY0u7JlC1oSF7ezqU6cBl9Aqr4gEufuRdml9SBJpMEGGQkzWoljRHhMWW-LZUKbd7RdfRcyfRKMyZK6C_Zo1-974f0jP_ea0gxC/s1600-h/100_3105.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301866780797355762" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbfLNbm4XaQ6vVkbhLXFVSvC6ABaBisY_oth1ntY_YlvY0u7JlC1oSF7ezqU6cBl9Aqr4gEufuRdml9SBJpMEGGQkzWoljRHhMWW-LZUKbd7RdfRcyfRKMyZK6C_Zo1-974f0jP_ea0gxC/s320/100_3105.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Day 6: dad and his little helper putting together the cabinets. Funnily enough, that plastic hammer worked: teh nails actually went in!</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pwY8zihfQItV8taEVJToueLYs51V6AJZO5scJzVxyS2hJT4dbn-2I9DrfLky_cAYogWWqguRsYDTwOQaCyDMtybohnghEjrxGbpmsF-T91SzbKYHV3DmMKpYTVXupMsp5HX11L8mB0o6/s1600-h/100_3111.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301866779557755826" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pwY8zihfQItV8taEVJToueLYs51V6AJZO5scJzVxyS2hJT4dbn-2I9DrfLky_cAYogWWqguRsYDTwOQaCyDMtybohnghEjrxGbpmsF-T91SzbKYHV3DmMKpYTVXupMsp5HX11L8mB0o6/s320/100_3111.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Day 7: Pantry done. The other cabinets on that wall are not flush with the wall yet. Dad needs to come back and put the benchtop on. Am hoping the electrician can connect the oven and cooktop tomorrow. I'm tired of sandwiches and takeaway!</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihiXxbNPFhXsZGbSmJfvxqW5mBFOyv9M6PQyqth1P1hDrX1jX_QPxC-tA-Vl9FCck7I_O33wLBwbut56au3d0LHg-0fr9MtZPr7v_cI4heaI-klWkAUOHUeJD8WQctzkhsNRu53lIxltCu/s1600-h/100_3112.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301866773583688786" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihiXxbNPFhXsZGbSmJfvxqW5mBFOyv9M6PQyqth1P1hDrX1jX_QPxC-tA-Vl9FCck7I_O33wLBwbut56au3d0LHg-0fr9MtZPr7v_cI4heaI-klWkAUOHUeJD8WQctzkhsNRu53lIxltCu/s320/100_3112.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">My temporary benchtop!! These are the offcuts from the other side's bench and the cut out from the sink hole!</span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#333333;">And just because I don't have enough things in my life to keep me busy (!) I signed up to Twitter last week and actually spent longer than two minutes on it tonight working it out. I think I've got it. Here is where I'll be sending all those little quirks, annoyances or snippets of news too minor or time-consuming to blog about. And much excitement is the fact I can SMS the updates and they'll appear magically on my Twitter profile. How genius. Not sure how long I'll follow this fad (am really good at losing interest in things - Facebook? I only get on to look at friends photos now!), but for now, you can follow me at <a href="http://twitter.com/belindagraham">twitter.com/belindagraham</a></span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-72710258661526999732009-02-09T09:42:00.009+11:002009-02-09T20:57:03.462+11:00can you just imagine this coming towards you...<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlfeDZzJ_tOj8nm8tDuikGzn4Eg-17iXLfzBeySe7A1UvWkRkLOnC65TK5AltErAIUrcdVT2Jzd_u7s5RasN_MLAtvXRRtBy1DoGc6tpoTH9VTnVjSzx0GpKv3TgZiZb19-a_yPanpk8S/s1600-h/20090207-180924-pic-372138720.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300733435698744498" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 218px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlfeDZzJ_tOj8nm8tDuikGzn4Eg-17iXLfzBeySe7A1UvWkRkLOnC65TK5AltErAIUrcdVT2Jzd_u7s5RasN_MLAtvXRRtBy1DoGc6tpoTH9VTnVjSzx0GpKv3TgZiZb19-a_yPanpk8S/s320/20090207-180924-pic-372138720.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">How frightening.</span></div>I'd feel way too guilty whinging about living without a kitchen and blogging about the reno when so many people have lost their lives, homes and livelihood in the disastrous fires so I'm going to give it a miss today. On Friday afternoon there was a fire somewhere in our area - it would have been miles away, but the smoke and smell was quite intense and I found it hard to breathe at times. I thought to myself "here we go..." and sent out a silent sympathetic thought to the firies who we're in for a big weekend and made bets with my husband how long it'd be before the freeway was closed and the trains stopped running. Pretty much every year the central coast gets blocked off for a while due to fires. This is an incredible pain in the rear for anyone who needs to travel to Sydney or is stuck in Sydney trying to get home. It can be hours - at times days - before you're given the all clear. After this horiffic weekend in Victoria, we of course, have no right to complain. In fact, I'm sure every one of us up here would have happily been inconvenienced for a while if it meant Victoria had no fires, no deaths, no devastating tragedy. I cannot imagine the emotions being felt down there...<br /><br />My husband suggested if the latest federal Stimulus Package is passed, they should immediately halve the amounts they'd planned to hand out and give the other half to the fire victims and to rebuilding the demolished communities. He also said part of it should go to upgrading our firefighting equipment, procedures and training. Because as temperatures rise year to year, our country is only going to burn faster, further and with more fury.<br /><br />And for those insert-angry-adjective-here animals lighting these fires, I only hope they're found and punished accordingly. I might not be the world's biggest advocate of capital punishment, but in this case, I think being burnt at the stake highly appropriate...belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-59040194241330243392009-02-04T21:04:00.005+11:002009-02-04T22:10:31.354+11:00is this the world's ugliest kitchen?<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf4wobtpm3Vj-cngrT3w-RN8hpzSeeqXSwnuo7586lYsACVlBXPFy2V35tNPSvngGwk9zN5Y43TPc4OhZIypH8mACq_UT-6wsa5tDc8P7qlQmQmsecuwL7hUiOriZLYVss-a0_p_VTwlf/s1600-h/100_3012.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298885389317736930" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzf4wobtpm3Vj-cngrT3w-RN8hpzSeeqXSwnuo7586lYsACVlBXPFy2V35tNPSvngGwk9zN5Y43TPc4OhZIypH8mACq_UT-6wsa5tDc8P7qlQmQmsecuwL7hUiOriZLYVss-a0_p_VTwlf/s320/100_3012.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">The missing door: poor bugga nearly made it. Was hanging on by one tiny nail. But Steve kept forgetting its state and it fell on his foot one time too many and spent its last few days beside the fridge.</span></p><p align="left">It might well have been. But unfortunately it can't claim this distinguished title because it NO LONGER EXISTS!!!! It's sitting all partly smashed up on my front sandpit (what pathetic grass we had has been fried in the heat). And it's never looked better. Even Z is glad to be rid of the "kitchen mess" as he calls it. Gee, do you wonder why I never posted pics of this room? I'm completely embarassed to show this, but seeing that it's all in the past, let's have a laugh, shall we? Yes, I've put up with this for five years. My medal better be in the mail...</p><p align="left">A few incredibly exciting facts:</p><p align="left">* I painted the doors white when we moved in because I couldn't imagine living with green doors for any amount of time. I did such a crap job, I was wishing for the green to come back.</p><p align="left">* The previous owner's son thought himself a handyman. He wasn't. He installed the taps himself did such a bang-up job they didn't work properly. They were replaced numerous times and ground back and had lots of work but no makeover could save the cold one which exploded one day. I'm so used to using warm/hot water for everything I rarely turn the cold water tap on in the bathroom. He also cut a hole too big for the tap nozzle and didn't bother doing anything about it. My non-handyman husband figured expanding filler would do the trick temporarily. It sealed the hole, but, well, look at it! Ugh.</p><p align="left">* The tiles are on big sheets of some asbestos-ridden material and weren't the same depth as the rest of the wall, so there was a weird uneven gap no one ever bothered fixing. I don't remember how the piece of wood make its way there but there it is!<br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5t4T750VRWAGAawu8D_0NriywJGG0jLi-vLdh9xBaX8TdPJmEzW57xW1LGeOGWt6M105aH6adecq3vwQDW7qkfWotyDzFFO_Syd2ylnBY8grg5h-wy1c0Rfad4T58-R0FhykRm34UMqv/s1600-h/100_3022.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298885394864888786" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5t4T750VRWAGAawu8D_0NriywJGG0jLi-vLdh9xBaX8TdPJmEzW57xW1LGeOGWt6M105aH6adecq3vwQDW7qkfWotyDzFFO_Syd2ylnBY8grg5h-wy1c0Rfad4T58-R0FhykRm34UMqv/s320/100_3022.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Hmm, what's sadder? The contact-covered sheets? The mssing door? The paper towel stuffing the hole where the cold water tap used to be? The lovely aged yellow stains or the fish plug that for some INSANE reason I never replaced??????</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFggQvPeHdAdZNk9SJZE_8LCWEhNoQmvREEnsVzYAfHwW4Tmv2xTbYcAEWnZxnWe1npPlKr6mo48cmqT-3h5Mvb31BV7QAka6BBhvhul4bLuD5rH-E3R-6Yfs9Wl0LzqQdiysgzK3qK1eU/s1600-h/100_3011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298885393438395634" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFggQvPeHdAdZNk9SJZE_8LCWEhNoQmvREEnsVzYAfHwW4Tmv2xTbYcAEWnZxnWe1npPlKr6mo48cmqT-3h5Mvb31BV7QAka6BBhvhul4bLuD5rH-E3R-6Yfs9Wl0LzqQdiysgzK3qK1eU/s320/100_3011.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">One of the delightful tile prints I could admire while cooking. They clearly shopped at the Ugly Tile Shop - same place they got the sunflower tiles that were in my old bathroom!</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkExw4I6owYBHfiTHi2sVBowvd98TO-OoFvXCZj1lOfdFb1Ecu9nYuEyz8U5X7HLS5E6GXW_V6RwhIBY5Nv57mSmtJnvQ6y_9imqbgDgjj995-N_TdgMkcSzrALH6kp5AqLibre8flbhn/s1600-h/100_3010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298885390278625362" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkExw4I6owYBHfiTHi2sVBowvd98TO-OoFvXCZj1lOfdFb1Ecu9nYuEyz8U5X7HLS5E6GXW_V6RwhIBY5Nv57mSmtJnvQ6y_9imqbgDgjj995-N_TdgMkcSzrALH6kp5AqLibre8flbhn/s320/100_3010.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">And another one - I guess they just couldn't decide between the two beauties and chose both...</span> </p><p align="left">On a happier note, I did wonder if I was utilising the space enough with the new design. Would I fit everything in? Considering I was ruthless and thew out half the contents of the kitchen cupboards as well, I have a feeling I'll be just fine. Aside from another bag out of sight, this is all I have! I sense a shopping spree coming on! </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIBGU79Cfp0JY5fsGB0LKsCJmORXAdb0YoMmnXXZAwT0o7LMprq7O1TIwWm7SyK951aMGBjSduytQLmTgoJ2Mf8-2WC9X4KjvYRHYlI0wI_CUOX62S_5r3ARrQEhwdvNqVNPJ_ef0Ht-Z/s1600-h/100_3007.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298885398341734882" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIBGU79Cfp0JY5fsGB0LKsCJmORXAdb0YoMmnXXZAwT0o7LMprq7O1TIwWm7SyK951aMGBjSduytQLmTgoJ2Mf8-2WC9X4KjvYRHYlI0wI_CUOX62S_5r3ARrQEhwdvNqVNPJ_ef0Ht-Z/s320/100_3007.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I started building the cupboards so I had something to store it in. Four packages down, 48 to go... </span></p><p align="left"><span style="color:#000000;">So I was feeling the pressure with all your "can't wait to see the new kitchen" comments. But I guess, looking at this, anything is going to be a huge improvement isn't it?</span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-79890933202108409552009-02-02T10:17:00.003+11:002009-02-02T11:02:07.881+11:00bye bye hideous kitchen<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1jHs9tNhCvIe7CWuMM_MQxw6XR9hCEmWiyq7VQhcvq2VWzxhlBbs2oWw0IvuzxbxT1ANNb8-3BIuTytmDQ4GBjxWlh0HZKdsi-uBu6T7ONc2EAu383wC2xzlgtN-zwWkdEx2RYCZMQio/s1600-h/livingkitchen.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5297974257460669554" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1jHs9tNhCvIe7CWuMM_MQxw6XR9hCEmWiyq7VQhcvq2VWzxhlBbs2oWw0IvuzxbxT1ANNb8-3BIuTytmDQ4GBjxWlh0HZKdsi-uBu6T7ONc2EAu383wC2xzlgtN-zwWkdEx2RYCZMQio/s320/livingkitchen.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Oh the memories....</span></p><p align="left">It's finally happening, people. THIS WEEK. Am so very excited. Builder starts on Wednesday to start ripping out the old one. This is how it looked the first week we moved in. We had all our stuff crammed in the bedrooms and former garage while we attacked the walls removing all the lovely mismatched wood panelling and scraping all the CRAP some genius thought would look great sprayed on the ceiling. There it is all over the floor, which is shame because it's hiding the delightful multi-coloured, animal-hair-covered carpet, which was actually better than what we discovered under the carpet... Once I've finished emptying the kitchen I'll take another pic of how it looks today. I'm afraid to say, it's actually worse: one of the doors recently fell off, the cold tap is no more and we changed the wall cabinet handles over years ago but never bothered to patch up the marks left from the old ones because "we're doing the kitchen soon..." </p><p align="left">So soon has arrived. I'm going to start the new blog to coincide with this reno. I've called it The Happy Home because that's what it'll be with a new kitchen. Hopefully. So I'll redirect you when it's time - so far I've been blindly finding my way around Wordpress. Doesn't help that when I finally work something out my computer crashes and I have to start all over again. Am a little over technology... Have a good week. x</p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-25231292089610940382009-01-28T10:01:00.009+11:002009-01-28T14:30:17.288+11:00this week why don't you...<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...download this (well a similar one)...</span></strong></div><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHQQ6oYi4O9LlFpt6jkjApedhcI8xI40iyByLgiHjEIjgR44fQ9ZqijU_NcIs0_fkdNIXN9OZgvtG_bZXVa98_yDILBZ_AnBT-9QUuHXmrKXoUKGLRQQ3ocgr_mZdxZmpucCCHfXyhewq/s1600-h/41208real+living-6-005.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296152776975039298" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXHQQ6oYi4O9LlFpt6jkjApedhcI8xI40iyByLgiHjEIjgR44fQ9ZqijU_NcIs0_fkdNIXN9OZgvtG_bZXVa98_yDILBZ_AnBT-9QUuHXmrKXoUKGLRQQ3ocgr_mZdxZmpucCCHfXyhewq/s320/41208real+living-6-005.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#000000;">After buying some stationery from</span> </span><a href="http://littlebrownpen.etsy.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Little Brown Pen</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> last year, I begged them to design something our readers could download for free on the website - they graciously agreed, despite my continuous annoying emails. And now you can download a bright and cheery pinwheel garden stationery set right </span><a id=" 20target=" href="http://realliving.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?ID=720140" 20target=""><span style="font-size:85%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">. And of course there are a gazillion more gorgeous designs to choose from at their </span><a href="http://littlebrownpen.etsy.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Etsy store</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">, like the dandelions we featured in the March issue (pictured. No image of the pinwheel garden, sorry - looooong story, but it's adorable!). And if you're after a unique Valentine's Day card, look no further than their very cool range. So big, big thanks to Evan and Nichole who have just moved to PARIS. Lucky things.</span> </p><br /><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...high-five this...</span></strong><br /><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZc0CKlwCbx1swgKRDwscTuRE19veVhSGBwxjOLo1qXF-KmXKrlO2YCtvQnNnsRbdsl1zvgEEdOCsLqJpfhZ2LdgCOyzj1hahvGUmUKkB3CsisJDG8F7eC8XM2_wn3VU6hGVOynD-Ln2R/s1600-h/bonds.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296152768630315266" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpZc0CKlwCbx1swgKRDwscTuRE19veVhSGBwxjOLo1qXF-KmXKrlO2YCtvQnNnsRbdsl1zvgEEdOCsLqJpfhZ2LdgCOyzj1hahvGUmUKkB3CsisJDG8F7eC8XM2_wn3VU6hGVOynD-Ln2R/s320/bonds.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Good old <a href="http://www.bonds.com.au/">Bonds</a> have answered my prayers and designed an organic line. It was only a matter of time, of course, but how cute are these leggings?? I think Miss L might be getting a pair in every colour... Cute tops available too - perfect for upcoming winter, which is ridiculous to even contemplate when the weather forecast for the week starts with a 4 most days... Available from <a href="http://www.babysgotstyle.com.au/">Baby's Got Style</a></span></p><br /><br /><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...try this...</span></strong><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30COfFTwk3CHz44EqwDq_IEpxLj91LTQZAX0o7EJbL0F0kDWeGopTsnYF9sxhj4sNlJTSHz1pQShwfmQhwkUdv4NWlCTHR3iy5KFBWX4UCSPz_l8ynqvto8VUO1FZeRW81kaB3XMf7Bq-/s1600-h/bolognese-2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296152771156310946" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30COfFTwk3CHz44EqwDq_IEpxLj91LTQZAX0o7EJbL0F0kDWeGopTsnYF9sxhj4sNlJTSHz1pQShwfmQhwkUdv4NWlCTHR3iy5KFBWX4UCSPz_l8ynqvto8VUO1FZeRW81kaB3XMf7Bq-/s320/bolognese-2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Next time you make spaghetti (so, possibly sometime this week, right?!) add about two thirds a cup of tomato sauce to the bolognese mix and a teaspoon of sugar. I use this instead of tomato paste for a slightly runnier, sweeter taste. It's YUMMO and makes my homemade lasagne extra awesome as well.</span></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>...buy this...</strong></span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVmCEXmguplzbGonHaJtojOiTh0AIlneByHrWBkkn_KBOfc6Ssx4IlB5aBnv56Kaxz8QJqQBEncS8jq86aDaqb2MN1mFuC6BpfBJGJWxEsnDciiiGxIJTEqjMny0yvU_fWbs3kQa7qlkx/s1600-h/stickon-school-kit1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296157540490492674" style="WIDTH: 278px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVmCEXmguplzbGonHaJtojOiTh0AIlneByHrWBkkn_KBOfc6Ssx4IlB5aBnv56Kaxz8QJqQBEncS8jq86aDaqb2MN1mFuC6BpfBJGJWxEsnDciiiGxIJTEqjMny0yvU_fWbs3kQa7qlkx/s320/stickon-school-kit1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I realise school has started back already, but if you hadn't got around to all that labelling of the lunchboxes and school bags and books and clothes, go to </span><a href="http://www.brightstarkids.com.au/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Bright Star Kids</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;">! My friend Lou told me about these the other day and while I'd heard about them I didn't realise they also did wall decals, clothing labels, kitchen labels, bin labels - labels for everything! Lots of yummy colours and too-cute designs to choose from.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>...meet this...</strong></span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZpQ3hR6Bin68UQdOxH3_CAZp0Q1VjojZ6SDVKSzpXFsaNg7pQfhab-_fFoj_P9JgaHmPs1pu2cagoAFACNv_dAvFnp-BIUrMXQSexbyq4KFKbAL8Cg-7MAZUOec5OHdRt6fPhw5cXYu4/s1600-h/Soap_Gang.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296163190523208162" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZpQ3hR6Bin68UQdOxH3_CAZp0Q1VjojZ6SDVKSzpXFsaNg7pQfhab-_fFoj_P9JgaHmPs1pu2cagoAFACNv_dAvFnp-BIUrMXQSexbyq4KFKbAL8Cg-7MAZUOec5OHdRt6fPhw5cXYu4/s320/Soap_Gang.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Ever seen <a href="http://www.ecostore.co.nz/">ecostore</a> in Woollies? I first noticed them while looking to try a new washing powder (my son has eczmea and so everything is a drama!). Then I noticed they did soaps as well and one sniff and I was in love. Seriously the yummiest soap I've ever smelt is their Lemongrass one. Coconut comes a close second... But aside from the delicious smell, they're good for you - no scary ingredients, artificial colours, preservatives or perfumes make them great for sensitive skin. Z loves to open the cupboard and take a big whiff! They've also got a great baby range - I tried the body wash and NO reaction! It's the only one he hasn't had a reaction to and he is a different boy since using their washing powder - eczmea has barely made an appearance, even with the crazy hot weather. I'm hooked. Check out the full range of their products (shampoos, cleansers etc) as well as where you can buy near you (they sell internationally too) on their <a href="http://www.ecostore.co.nz/">website</a>.</span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-3598864915762366992009-01-23T08:20:00.000+11:002009-01-23T08:22:34.998+11:00sneak peek: real living march issue<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L3UxeDakMEJ_DyyXxRTqrszUSqR2TKCxoUPVr4eGaa-FbYjB3nkCcYRmUd5yTBwwdfim8Ty1RVdOXUQNTeZm61DVtW0Tb8H09Qw3Ltm-hsEik_U_F8za6JupdnX7uGZr4ii8d4ZNbeu2/s1600-h/cover.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294091281375840658" style="WIDTH: 267px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L3UxeDakMEJ_DyyXxRTqrszUSqR2TKCxoUPVr4eGaa-FbYjB3nkCcYRmUd5yTBwwdfim8Ty1RVdOXUQNTeZm61DVtW0Tb8H09Qw3Ltm-hsEik_U_F8za6JupdnX7uGZr4ii8d4ZNbeu2/s320/cover.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">March 2009: it's all about pattern on pattern on the cover</span></p><p align="left">I know what you're thinking: it's still January and the March issue is hitting shelves on Monday? Ker-azy! Good for you readers who get another issue filled with goodies, but horrid for those working on it who had to work over Christmas to get it to the printers on time. Hopefully the April issue is a longer deadline... Here are a few pages to take you into the weekend. A little bit teasy, isn't it? Unless of course you subscribed - my mother-in-law got hers on Tuesday! </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdetUYOzAnTZ7HBxtY8QUFJcSp5QoG2kh-T5Pecx-dwyYYvhyw94osQdmWSAInRtkBs2JSj77NrMcg6Mijd45j1C4FO3NLDo-7Y-4WZHnrq9N0JkGsztJzx7sa38sr6UbftXtbz1rjO1Y/s1600-h/march1.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294091257279103554" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 191px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipdetUYOzAnTZ7HBxtY8QUFJcSp5QoG2kh-T5Pecx-dwyYYvhyw94osQdmWSAInRtkBs2JSj77NrMcg6Mijd45j1C4FO3NLDo-7Y-4WZHnrq9N0JkGsztJzx7sa38sr6UbftXtbz1rjO1Y/s320/march1.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Tie-dye is, erm, leaving its mark on homewares</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_qJVZHwAJRvwthX_Ae1P6vRYBh0x3NX-YWgTodMAXbMqmeVN7rTY4EWOPMKn8fZipiFEawMuuMx3CW3VWLBY28k-AMaiLWisA3jgse9VLY3w-U3mxw_ZKX01EMVEKA3Qc40OQ6EDWela/s1600-h/march2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294091277120976818" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_qJVZHwAJRvwthX_Ae1P6vRYBh0x3NX-YWgTodMAXbMqmeVN7rTY4EWOPMKn8fZipiFEawMuuMx3CW3VWLBY28k-AMaiLWisA3jgse9VLY3w-U3mxw_ZKX01EMVEKA3Qc40OQ6EDWela/s320/march2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Office spaces you'll want to work in</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguPAheZy1oNgmLJ5esBhzwVCBAqffhpm3RK1t-pY8Zky5f90ys_Jpdcco_CC9cuyu0XtGQUC7MFjf6awkZHYQ_EJ9NeoeEl8_gTCjHZlhAOkALaUTNwnHY2GCjgzANAMiTV3r2P8eCyKi/s1600-h/march3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294091276194669090" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 191px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhguPAheZy1oNgmLJ5esBhzwVCBAqffhpm3RK1t-pY8Zky5f90ys_Jpdcco_CC9cuyu0XtGQUC7MFjf6awkZHYQ_EJ9NeoeEl8_gTCjHZlhAOkALaUTNwnHY2GCjgzANAMiTV3r2P8eCyKi/s320/march3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Small-space tricks and plenty of eye candy</span></p><div>I didn't post too much exciting stuff this week, so apologies. I've been working crazily. But I have a few projecty things to show you soon. And if I can ever get hold of my builder, we should have a kitchen reno happening SOON. Hooray! Have a great weekend and happy Australia Day for Monday! </div>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-81132844024687324042009-01-22T15:53:00.002+11:002009-01-22T16:01:05.964+11:00did you guess?Anyone pick what was unusual about my little hair makeover? Am hoping not, because that means I did good job! The whole thing was DIY: the colour <em>and</em> cut. And yes, this deserves its own post because it's hard work cutting your own hair without making it look like you cut your own hair. To be honest, there are a few floaty longer bits that Steve needs to tidy up for me, but overall? I'm rather thrilled. Haven't been to a hairdresser for about 18 months - Steve and I usually play hairdressers on the deck every few months. But I just might go soon and get them to do the colour properly. This is a wash-out, because there was no way I was braving anything longer than a week or so first time around! So yes, all that back-patting you hear is coming from me! And thanks for compliments! xbelinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-76821758176989101252009-01-22T07:00:00.000+11:002009-01-22T07:00:01.189+11:00morphing into christy turlington<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhW_k-dETMQwyquK3bmpCZB6g7DY_HsFNgz0AizQCb8xKluuzzi14w3TC2YxctLvVrwh0h9xCWi3RPTk1_LvuxpcJaSBsidFyLR59aQuIC1g17QkcUpE5zBvX74_YOhQsEQPMsVF1mevL/s1600-h/christyhair2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293701063014094850" style="WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGhW_k-dETMQwyquK3bmpCZB6g7DY_HsFNgz0AizQCb8xKluuzzi14w3TC2YxctLvVrwh0h9xCWi3RPTk1_LvuxpcJaSBsidFyLR59aQuIC1g17QkcUpE5zBvX74_YOhQsEQPMsVF1mevL/s320/christyhair2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I'll have this cut and colour please. Christy images from Elle magazine via <a href="http://djuna.cine21.com/christy/">here</a></span></p><div>Oh ok, not so much. Although I'd very much like to! But I've loved her hair in this photoshoot since the mag came out. In 2002. I've taken a snap to the hairdressers pretty much every time I've been, but it never made it out of my bag. I always chickened out. But the past year I've worn my hair a little shorter, still never past the shoulders, and I thought it's not that much further up the hairline. And it will grow back. And my hair is dark blonde so a darker colour shouldn't be tooo scary....</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAbnOdc07Kigy-GaL7lrhzXlUmCJ0VYnlj4-_f3fuD3ZtvtfqQDaKuizlG4sgmhwaZ3m9F-rtIWCg8vGyteWAPb8w6qLySWdXb6QC9GQNDbf7FTaCufemwwcOS6ZsX427EcK2YrLjINL4/s1600-h/christy1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293701056280333810" style="WIDTH: 287px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 193px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAbnOdc07Kigy-GaL7lrhzXlUmCJ0VYnlj4-_f3fuD3ZtvtfqQDaKuizlG4sgmhwaZ3m9F-rtIWCg8vGyteWAPb8w6qLySWdXb6QC9GQNDbf7FTaCufemwwcOS6ZsX427EcK2YrLjINL4/s320/christy1.JPG" border="0" /></a></p><div>So, seven years is a long time to make a decision about a haircut and colour change, but I finally did it. I realised I had no major plans for the next while so if it turned into a disaster, noone would see me anyway because I'm always at home and if I did go out, I'd don a hat.<br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BCoarirtjeZ0bG_7jNOKWqJ95iOKTLRg1caIErPe5VYoT7GqyrGRsftoMK1GWbi0MiV1hdhgw7rmxORrOz1Bgnp_8SKm3EGR4KSq9QX85npWrhJo9PDwt3wqOCSty-ZHed_VFokRSPzk/s1600-h/hair.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293701063599993522" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7BCoarirtjeZ0bG_7jNOKWqJ95iOKTLRg1caIErPe5VYoT7GqyrGRsftoMK1GWbi0MiV1hdhgw7rmxORrOz1Bgnp_8SKm3EGR4KSq9QX85npWrhJo9PDwt3wqOCSty-ZHed_VFokRSPzk/s320/hair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Practically twins! That's me on the left (ha!). Side note: if you're ever feeling too good about yourself, place a pic of yourself next to a supermodel. It's guaranteed to knock your self-esteem down a few notches!</span></p><p align="left">But happily, it's not a total disaster and I love it. More and more every time I look in the mirror. I even want to go darker! There is a (small) point to me posting a pic of me and my hair. I did it for work. The beauty feature in the March issue (out Monday) is all about beauty sceptics. I wondered what I'd do on the web to relate back to it, so figured I'd write about my own little makeover. So, can you guess what I was sceptical about? And what is a little unusual about the process? </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpiixVZdXupyu-CBtTu3d2IqB0RG5C37LY_sVqwZ4Q1-ixdMpEEgvDfMu5ZCPQ7Imu8TI0h5dT_MWXdz3Rk1lFwZ9zmGBQGsIJjO3TYgzHpzyWh-Y_RNkbWxY2zLOozF2mcr9-PlTtB6n/s1600-h/after2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293701063873093474" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpiixVZdXupyu-CBtTu3d2IqB0RG5C37LY_sVqwZ4Q1-ixdMpEEgvDfMu5ZCPQ7Imu8TI0h5dT_MWXdz3Rk1lFwZ9zmGBQGsIJjO3TYgzHpzyWh-Y_RNkbWxY2zLOozF2mcr9-PlTtB6n/s320/after2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">A side view. Never had hair this short before. Or dark. Feel like a whole other person! Z even told me "cool hair mummy". He's hilarious.</span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-28772905867209519912009-01-21T21:04:00.006+11:002009-01-21T21:48:19.701+11:00icy treat #2: freezies<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJZxwDeZsPKyveozNQHCucT2_3aq5KhviGPftOL7b4r8ZwQAn62vPcYYJl0aS_fTXgz3E3EPkzlwTdVc5H6sSEWS2dkwiwZs57RKrxpedZ5IM73-5FjnmIp_3aPgtR4VQa0LecMFV-W8J/s1600-h/icytreat2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293686150981220290" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvJZxwDeZsPKyveozNQHCucT2_3aq5KhviGPftOL7b4r8ZwQAn62vPcYYJl0aS_fTXgz3E3EPkzlwTdVc5H6sSEWS2dkwiwZs57RKrxpedZ5IM73-5FjnmIp_3aPgtR4VQa0LecMFV-W8J/s320/icytreat2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">It was soooo hot today, this was pretty much liquid after the photo was taken. </span></p>For as long as I can remember, I've been addicted to slurpies. The petrol station near my home would see my every day in summer (and every third day in winter) when I was growing up. And I'm now McDonald's biggest fan since they brought in their Frozen Cokes - don't even have to get out of the air conditioned car! But my absolute favourite frozen drink is the one I do myself. Could not be easier. If you hate it when your soft drink goes flat towards the end of the bottle, throw it in the freezer. Once frozen, take the bottle out and smash it hard on the ground - it's a very violent game this one - to loosen it up a little and then shake, shake, shake the bottle until it's all mushy. Then squeeze it into a glass (you might need to do some more banging and shaking here - a rather good workout!) and eat with a spoon. Yum. The good thing is, the fizz of the soft drink (even the flatish stuff) means it doesn't freeze as hard as ice and so breaks up nicely to make yummy slurpies. And you know it's not half water, like the shop ones are! My fave is the Deep Spring Orange and Mango Mineral Water. Mmm. Or plain Coke. There are three things I will never, ever buy cheapie homebrand versions of: toilet paper, tissues and cola. It needs to be Coke - or nothing!!<br /><br /><strong>And for the bubbies...</strong><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeA10ocSBbAYmtO1qCnHrvWKGMFEN_3LIpk39B71tO0ruXw5Ikisy_bzXtNPhv_RaQl-GHGGBk5XyUZjD4WJ7tOM7iuPIc4SzDP-XO5aX8Fs_azxAQW_Nvt7Gi7uddGkicKpLcbhoRsaO0/s1600-h/342.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293694642431232834" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 310px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeA10ocSBbAYmtO1qCnHrvWKGMFEN_3LIpk39B71tO0ruXw5Ikisy_bzXtNPhv_RaQl-GHGGBk5XyUZjD4WJ7tOM7iuPIc4SzDP-XO5aX8Fs_azxAQW_Nvt7Gi7uddGkicKpLcbhoRsaO0/s320/342.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Sassy Teether Feeder, $7.95, <a href="http://www.babynest.com.au/products/Sassy_Teether_Feeder-260-24.html">Baby Nest</a>. You can also get something similar from Big W.</span></div><p align="left">Can't forget the babies. Miss L is starting to teeth and is chomping down on anything and everything. The ice ring teethers are good, but this is even better: I pop an ice cube (or two) into this mesh feeder, smash it up with a heavy spoon and let her at it. She gets to suck and bite on the ice and actually get a result, something the teethers don't do. But boy you should see the tantrums when the ice runs out! These are also great for messy fruits like mango and banana. Oh and a tip on ice. I've found out (by accident - we have no cold water tap in the kitchen at the moment. It's literally falling apart, hence the need to get on with the reno!) that by freezing warm water, it breaks up itself into nice little bits when you crack it out of the ice tray. Good for little kids who like to eat ice as a snack (or is that just my children who do that?)</p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-89436365464469902572009-01-20T22:52:00.004+11:002009-01-20T23:28:52.287+11:00little peek: kids' rooms by pottery barn kids<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOYMqYGLi4D9TPsfyzp_BPdJG39MVYmheVpHsoqw8-NOkCZGYZygfzCwsq2Fu68xPoF3lurLUQSOFWL_pzZH-Q8VO9MdTKaqyuGdm3YqMlWfoNKX7l798JfTvEFlAYG5pPHQfspLHla3I/s1600-h/pbkids8.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346945009042146" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBOYMqYGLi4D9TPsfyzp_BPdJG39MVYmheVpHsoqw8-NOkCZGYZygfzCwsq2Fu68xPoF3lurLUQSOFWL_pzZH-Q8VO9MdTKaqyuGdm3YqMlWfoNKX7l798JfTvEFlAYG5pPHQfspLHla3I/s320/pbkids8.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Chalkboard paint rules. Really want to find plastic cookie jars like the ones on the bench. Anyone?</span></p><p align="left">I was returning a book I'd bought my husband that he already owned (note to self: check bookshelf before buying classics) and instead of buying him something else he hadn't actually read before, I spotted this book and bought it instead. Most of the rooms aren't my taste at all, but I did like the way it was written and that the ideas are all doable. And if you just put your creativeness to good use, you can adapt the projects and ideas to suit your own style. Here are a few fave pages and ideas to steal from them...</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ-naWHnCNmD8m8I9Wu2cOivsYh8pSLsmJ97GUNfUyRXQb27jYlsGMwzi8zrxPTIVs4Geu_WY9xB33Ox6HhWtfPHth0hGIeqIJQBZnZb4e5o9up0dydALRIvDSAftLZVvaELqM0Lpr5_7/s1600-h/pbkids1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346301168160322" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZ-naWHnCNmD8m8I9Wu2cOivsYh8pSLsmJ97GUNfUyRXQb27jYlsGMwzi8zrxPTIVs4Geu_WY9xB33Ox6HhWtfPHth0hGIeqIJQBZnZb4e5o9up0dydALRIvDSAftLZVvaELqM0Lpr5_7/s320/pbkids1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Love this playroom: the table was a regular sized table but the legs had been chopped off so it's now child-sized.</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYqoJlY1g6tlhSjWbm71uTMTbYJJ0EkyrrClh7GL-mgdSmgQNvT3fZJCcYCay4G01FbiQVwdaMh9ZwF2q_HuuGhsxT61FbdhXoWt0AjRST4ez13STtseWVf2ya1t0ZJG7TVaNvRqW5xZd/s1600-h/pbkids7.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346948892621698" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYqoJlY1g6tlhSjWbm71uTMTbYJJ0EkyrrClh7GL-mgdSmgQNvT3fZJCcYCay4G01FbiQVwdaMh9ZwF2q_HuuGhsxT61FbdhXoWt0AjRST4ez13STtseWVf2ya1t0ZJG7TVaNvRqW5xZd/s320/pbkids7.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I'm desperately seeking library-style book racks like the one next to this bed to pop at the end of my new kitchen bench (which is still in a box in my bedroom...) for the kids play spot I plan to create. Might need to get them built. Or maybe adapt a good-sized spice rack, perhaps!</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAItXiHwHd7H0r6BmTqXfqH3Bfozla9PHft57ZaADUtJmz75VfdBlwaKkS_HcyBboNkOaZy_w3Hi5_k776ER2LlghbRE96TrG1Z3wVpwu2DgIqvZObHtpHJXQ07sF54x29lJDHR7hVaL-/s1600-h/pbkids3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346308799133954" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxAItXiHwHd7H0r6BmTqXfqH3Bfozla9PHft57ZaADUtJmz75VfdBlwaKkS_HcyBboNkOaZy_w3Hi5_k776ER2LlghbRE96TrG1Z3wVpwu2DgIqvZObHtpHJXQ07sF54x29lJDHR7hVaL-/s320/pbkids3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Nice wall graphics (on right) and to the left is the back of a home office area that incorporates the kids and keeps them busy while you're working. Can't see any ideas to stop tiny children from demanding the "bunnies" (Sony Bravia playdoh bunnies commercial) on Youtube every time they see my laptop open. Damn. And damn me for introducing Z to Youtube. </span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DJal1zsb-bLM2vY7Ay9g4yRbRHRC4Su56tscF1BuHArR-82Z1PaXiNoYMRJVuHaqVHg8Kv6uHttE2f6gF1sWtMLtgi8aZYPhM7_DXytdi6DYOUK8k4xkjMCBzf6_cfBifT1Afk1O5f8g/s1600-h/pbkids2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346307120236306" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DJal1zsb-bLM2vY7Ay9g4yRbRHRC4Su56tscF1BuHArR-82Z1PaXiNoYMRJVuHaqVHg8Kv6uHttE2f6gF1sWtMLtgi8aZYPhM7_DXytdi6DYOUK8k4xkjMCBzf6_cfBifT1Afk1O5f8g/s320/pbkids2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Cute little crafty zone. Reminds me of my mum's preschool. The pegs and corkboard double as a drying rack and art display. And does anyone use wooden pegs to hang up clothes anymore?</span> </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFFlMx0-jOD3roqP4828Xw_f_VGSuBznhWC3tI-X5mNkKIs7KqK52V5VPyW7XtMSsb79Utj804ZjpEFJFaLMy6ZqJfP-1P8gL_YtZWYbuNnif-dO9NUDDg7-YD2L8m-shI_Vqi7hu0qIX/s1600-h/pbkids4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346313695160450" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFFlMx0-jOD3roqP4828Xw_f_VGSuBznhWC3tI-X5mNkKIs7KqK52V5VPyW7XtMSsb79Utj804ZjpEFJFaLMy6ZqJfP-1P8gL_YtZWYbuNnif-dO9NUDDg7-YD2L8m-shI_Vqi7hu0qIX/s320/pbkids4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">This room I loved. World map murals look great in kids rooms. You can get one here from<a href="http://mapshop.net.au/mswwm1.html#mspm1"> The Map Shop</a>. And you can get similar box shelves from Big W. Yes, Big W! I think it's about $20 for three-different sized cubes for memory.</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7h6_FGEU-Hty-f-vIC-aPb2Jkij2W2EpFHoj1HOQq5cEVC7vr3o6SQwlefbHrqrlapW5AXpA7xcFShjSAL7V9hyphenhyphenS68TyRZzcuDiGJkE_TZMjNbhqYY7pOblZwhyDKlK_m1xd7DIIeJ5Yf/s1600-h/pbkids5.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346324754798978" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7h6_FGEU-Hty-f-vIC-aPb2Jkij2W2EpFHoj1HOQq5cEVC7vr3o6SQwlefbHrqrlapW5AXpA7xcFShjSAL7V9hyphenhyphenS68TyRZzcuDiGJkE_TZMjNbhqYY7pOblZwhyDKlK_m1xd7DIIeJ5Yf/s320/pbkids5.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Sweet ways to display the plethora of books kids accumulate.</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfrCc0nu5V2wnKEoM_4enllNOk-dFq0MYKY4ahSvGlsZLlb1brmyjfuPWL_2-hTNmx-4WXJwsz6NTcTw79-0uJzOP-rsmtl_V1JTsvXz8X269eVTuMwqz2T0Sr33dgYUiBkpsif25VSKT/s1600-h/pbkids6.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293346954694982514" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQfrCc0nu5V2wnKEoM_4enllNOk-dFq0MYKY4ahSvGlsZLlb1brmyjfuPWL_2-hTNmx-4WXJwsz6NTcTw79-0uJzOP-rsmtl_V1JTsvXz8X269eVTuMwqz2T0Sr33dgYUiBkpsif25VSKT/s320/pbkids6.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Shared rooms. Cute pic of the kids on the floor. Reminds me of when my sisters and I used to bunk together with our same-striped bedspreads mum made in our chosen colours. Mine was always lilac, Kristie was yellow and Gretchen was of course pink.</span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-59705677849969034732009-01-19T07:00:00.001+11:002009-01-19T07:58:09.104+11:00this week, why don't you...<div align="center"></div><div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...do this...</span></strong></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bBVQyfTtwE7q-l8fkdbdheFjAtARACYZw6eFylA2b2GN-cZe5f5xbzHAZsuhdEvEJphypnu6YORQpDxWg50HI61mHMoRKHh8a7lb_1CO9JK-J6VHaGyC_9JaHeN3jTHdCdb7p7TtHAno/s1600-h/librarycard.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292610012954769602" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 198px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_bBVQyfTtwE7q-l8fkdbdheFjAtARACYZw6eFylA2b2GN-cZe5f5xbzHAZsuhdEvEJphypnu6YORQpDxWg50HI61mHMoRKHh8a7lb_1CO9JK-J6VHaGyC_9JaHeN3jTHdCdb7p7TtHAno/s320/librarycard.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Make your own library-like cards by simply filling in the boxes with text <a href="http://www.blyberg.net/card-generator/">here</a>. Great for blog to-do lists or unique messages. I thought I'd fill mine with some funny things Z has done in the past few weeks.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;"></span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><strong>...shop this...</strong></span></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8Lnik9_YeNvh8WmWxA3Ww2NKhxyqGBFwulac4i2x6bSHmz3r-GTqrcZXsvxsrLI3sEDQGK7d7SLiURZKcnpiQ9j08Qx-eGndRcaWiiFJkXo2JSAoqDKsLipyqcmI03-iPeSrTnGy7r8u/s1600-h/mollybag.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292611014640005442" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 286px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe8Lnik9_YeNvh8WmWxA3Ww2NKhxyqGBFwulac4i2x6bSHmz3r-GTqrcZXsvxsrLI3sEDQGK7d7SLiURZKcnpiQ9j08Qx-eGndRcaWiiFJkXo2JSAoqDKsLipyqcmI03-iPeSrTnGy7r8u/s320/mollybag.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">This lovely lady is called the Molly bag and is, like all her Louenhide sisters, going for 50% off at <a href="http://www.realshopping.com.au/">Real Shopping </a>until January 29. Also, must check out pretty new cushions - might need to put the Paris one on my wishlist... And don't forget: free delivery for any purchase from this site.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><strong>...eat this...</strong></span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWReYVlUdLB1rWW-8xCL8vNscCMLDG2Ply2kGvBEaQY_9xftbKqoK9U-s16CkbigWiwiGQz8w3Lv1DMrOWkBh8fi6u3LWy4zDve1jWr8H_TzeC_JoU77Fjs8ezKwSASG5fZ6-zYDTBZf9B/s1600-h/prod_AppPearCin.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292610011052742418" style="WIDTH: 139px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 280px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWReYVlUdLB1rWW-8xCL8vNscCMLDG2Ply2kGvBEaQY_9xftbKqoK9U-s16CkbigWiwiGQz8w3Lv1DMrOWkBh8fi6u3LWy4zDve1jWr8H_TzeC_JoU77Fjs8ezKwSASG5fZ6-zYDTBZf9B/s320/prod_AppPearCin.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Yes, even if you don't <em>know</em> children, <a href="http://www.raffertysgarden.com/">Rafferty's Garden </a>Apple, Pear + Cinanamon puree should be put into your shopping basket next time you get to the supermarket. Because if you heat it up a little bit and squirt it over a bowl of ice cream, you just might experience heaven. Also good without ice cream. My sister is a pilot and takes these with her so she has yummy healthy snacks at all times (cause we all know how good airline food is!). I'd love to see her co-worker's faces though when she whips out a pouch of baby food! Speaking of baby, no added anything and just what it says in the title also makes it good for the littlest ones. Miss L gobbles these down regularly. Oh, the site has great baby recipes too.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>...join this...</strong></span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIx5osSnbKOisbTLznZtw6P8PBwLg4Jb7W-jQoqHnCY-E4mn7iRNLSB3NjSZ22uwZ3b13OXrrNftFfxYkBsxRTmxxraT4kra-8dQKR4fyeeRqHntIeK7BBuCCjqKF8x_AoF9994il8EK-/s1600-h/skout.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292610009559034770" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 69px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlIx5osSnbKOisbTLznZtw6P8PBwLg4Jb7W-jQoqHnCY-E4mn7iRNLSB3NjSZ22uwZ3b13OXrrNftFfxYkBsxRTmxxraT4kra-8dQKR4fyeeRqHntIeK7BBuCCjqKF8x_AoF9994il8EK-/s320/skout.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#999999;">Design, make, sell, buy, write about or do anything else that involves kids or kid's products? Join this brilliant online community -</span> </span><a href="http://www.skouttradefair.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Skout</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;"> - for all kinds of advice, friendship and networking. It's a great way to get your stuff known globally or just pick the brain of like-minded people.</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#000000;"><strong>...read this...</strong></span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7R9GlSphc5238GaGjwHMOKGqpwvu0tC3fGRcDDHu0ToCQKGEGHcp9HSHVdAjmkmyXK26Flt2RDq78ooKAp8ubwAaIaYWdFYzkb6BlxrwVS2Df1lAQ4sWGQci5HFVl4PdadKfgip9x2mR/s1600-h/oliver.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292610005827705682" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 121px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL7R9GlSphc5238GaGjwHMOKGqpwvu0tC3fGRcDDHu0ToCQKGEGHcp9HSHVdAjmkmyXK26Flt2RDq78ooKAp8ubwAaIaYWdFYzkb6BlxrwVS2Df1lAQ4sWGQci5HFVl4PdadKfgip9x2mR/s320/oliver.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I had a flick through Oliver Heath's new book <em>Urban Eco Chic</em> on Saturday and was <em>this</em>close to buying it. Only reason I didn't was because I was looking for something specific and had to save my pennies in case the next book shop had it (it didn't, but anyway... ). But it did look lovely - lots of great pics and a heap of info on living a stylish, but greener, life. So I had to check out if he had a website - of course he does! Some lovely pics and info on his <a href="http://www.oliverheath.com/">site</a> and <a href="http://urbanecochic.blogspot.com/">blog</a>.</span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-26643410473694181442009-01-16T07:00:00.002+11:002009-01-16T07:00:01.127+11:00ice treat #1: rocket ice blocks<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64s0Jd_PvsXBTISZMUf-X3zFi53lmjOrntOj7PGFWcQFeZLVDD8LUvZuruMF1WjUePoApQsH9vSAs9WC2w3bTmnsOt7Qn5y-vfACfCPi3WPtLP0tycvwXEuvv3mmlYBKh6G6L06ZIAgtc/s1600-h/rocketiceblock.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291472533715504066" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi64s0Jd_PvsXBTISZMUf-X3zFi53lmjOrntOj7PGFWcQFeZLVDD8LUvZuruMF1WjUePoApQsH9vSAs9WC2w3bTmnsOt7Qn5y-vfACfCPi3WPtLP0tycvwXEuvv3mmlYBKh6G6L06ZIAgtc/s320/rocketiceblock.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I tried to get Z zooming it around, but he's not a very pilot. Oh wait - astronaut, right?</span></p>Apologies to those of you rugged up in your woollies watching snow fall outside, but over here, we've been sweltering in close to 40C heat. And nearly have to eat the entire contents of one's fridge and freezer when all the air conditioners in the area overload the power and cause a blackout. So to celebrate this typical Aussie summer, I thought I'd share some yummy icy treats we've been making in our house. It seems my love of frozen things has rubbed off on my son. He's obsessed with ice blocks, ice, frozen peas... So much so that the first thing I hear in the morning after "Hi Mum, I see Daddy and L?" is "Ice block? Please?" When I say no, he asks for ice. And damn our upside-down fridge, because I quite often find him sitting on the floor attempting to break up the ice cubes himself (cause they're too big for his mouth!). Anyway, Santa heard about this ice block obsession and stuffed his sack with these cool rocketship moulds from Chalet, $14. And here is what we fill them with...<br /><br /><strong>Tingly tangly rockets</strong><br />1 large orange, juiced (I do it by hand)<br />1 melon, chopped<br />1/4 fresh pineapple, chopped<br /><em>Throw it all in a blender and whip up until smooth. You might need a dash of water to thin it out a tiny bit. Then pour into the moulds and freeze</em><br /><br /><strong>Berry nice rockets</strong><br />Half a punnet of strawberries<br />1/2 frozen raspberries<br />A nice large scoop of vanilla ice cream<br /><em>Whip up in the blender, add some milk to thin if you wish then pour into moulds. This is a really yummy smoothie too, just add more milk.</em><br /><br />These make six rocket ships. And one word on these Chalet moulds: the sticks that come with it catch all the drips, which is good in theory but in reality, it just means messy spillage when little kids zoom their ice blocks around. Also makes it impossible to eat the bottom of the ice block cause the stick is wider than the rocket. Annoying. So I just stick in some normal paddle pop sticks - the mixture is so thick, they stand up halfway despite them being shorter than the mould. And yes I know all this because I eat more of them than Z!belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-27717557199387578812009-01-15T07:00:00.001+11:002009-01-15T07:51:25.869+11:00cute project: customised book covers<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDk1g7_QYYT6dW3W_nMiAzwS6DnL6gi0ANfdBRYWFFZTtxQcwb6KvyGpL0txpcHQOQF6ozdLcf5EgOprQFLFeZjVEv64FnsNE3RuTrGfqrRmR9IejT_LncTfHtTWWr49B5C8yUapaAOqWY/s1600-h/bookcovers.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291117739230331618" style="WIDTH: 314px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDk1g7_QYYT6dW3W_nMiAzwS6DnL6gi0ANfdBRYWFFZTtxQcwb6KvyGpL0txpcHQOQF6ozdLcf5EgOprQFLFeZjVEv64FnsNE3RuTrGfqrRmR9IejT_LncTfHtTWWr49B5C8yUapaAOqWY/s320/bookcovers.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Penguin Classics had a huge success with its orange, black and white covers this year. (They even let you <a href="http://www.penguinclassics.com.au/series/default.cfm?id=186">design your own cover</a>. How very cool.) But wouldn't you rather see the classics looking like this? Image via <a href="http://namesagency.com.au/">The Names Agency</a></span></p><p>This idea is possibly only for people with lots and lots of time on their hands, but I do love it so. I have a thing about paperback books. Of course I buy them because you're not exactly going to get <em>The Devil Wears Prada</em> in a hard cover coffee-table style are you? But I don't like how they look: all weird colours and slightly different sizes and widths. Brown craft paper is a popular recovering option, but I love this one the most. If I had a spare three years to recover each and every novel, travel guide and dictionary with pretty paper and uniformed custom-made book labels, I so would. </p><p>Even though it's a highly impractical idea for your entire book collection (unless yours is, like, seven), it would work well to hide the really butt-ugly spines or hardcover books you'd like to use to bulk up your coffe-table display but just aren't pretty enough. Or just with a small collection you'd like to pop on a display shelf or buffet top.<br /><br />But I could especially see it working as a gift. Say you bought your sister all of Candace Bushnell or Jodi Picoult's books as a collection - how much would she love unwrapping it and seeing the books looking like this? The hardest part would be getting the spine labels the right widths, but you could always cheat and do it the other way, in which case you'd have more room to work with. Oh and did I mention it'd be a GREAT thing to do with leftover wallpaper? Because it would. And I don't often mention wallpaper, do I??? Ha! </p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-39290383284027470542009-01-14T22:25:00.005+11:002009-01-18T09:00:36.295+11:00hip hip hooray!<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oPx48_SnHl7miJIQEPf074xWbN6G13Om2mwJ3tDqss5vVrmBZveglg3bsebX03AwVnesX5CXS_DfYdbAKl4mPwZ3hvUPUXUj36M3Wpm6ZjREPmLx-T7bW1BPhtm6nwgYH0MdT_CeVc0S/s1600-h/ohbooke.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291113092472011122" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 77px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4oPx48_SnHl7miJIQEPf074xWbN6G13Om2mwJ3tDqss5vVrmBZveglg3bsebX03AwVnesX5CXS_DfYdbAKl4mPwZ3hvUPUXUj36M3Wpm6ZjREPmLx-T7bW1BPhtm6nwgYH0MdT_CeVc0S/s320/ohbooke.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Lovely Brooke is slaving away for me on a new blog header - yay!</span></p>For me! Because I was lucky enough to win the blog design giveaway at <a href="http://ohbrooke.net/">ohbrooke</a>. Weirdest thing: there I was clicking through a few of the nicely-designed blogs I read trying to work out if they were wordpress or blogger (oh the exciting life I lead) when I decided to peek at <a href="http://makingitlovely.com/">Making it Lovely</a>'s blogroll. First one I clicked on was <a href="http://ohbrooke.net/">ohbrooke </a>and I had a little read and there was this giveaway (I blogged about it briefly on Monday) for a blog design. Could it have come at a better time? Especially when I was so jealous of Lisa Tilse winning a blog design over at <a href="http://theredthreadblog.blogspot.com/">The Red Thread </a>and thinking what an awesome idea it was for creative types to do and then I stumbled upon this one! So I entered, thinking "I'm going to win this on". And I did! I also had that feeling with the <a href="http://lalalovelythings.blogspot.com/">La La Lovely</a> comp too where I won a <a href="http://madebygirl.com/">Made By Girl</a> poster. So, anyway, I sent through some ideas to Brooke today and hopefully it won't be too long before all is revealed! But if you want a redesign, she's posting her price list soon - and good news: it won't send you broke! Plus, if you put her ad up on your site, she'll give you a discount.belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-22828888769286738422009-01-14T07:00:00.000+11:002009-01-14T07:00:01.939+11:00tiny chairs are taking over my house<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOteow2JlkmF2HoQeLdWTOpebV_sAhncZLMUUxozf6WE6bqR8pPnAoh1xoumLgGF18rPJ7j8fznrLoVyByaMTjc-uAeaHbI9DVmIVmCahUoWCqqiY7jN4zxgZh6tuE1fxEywjTDbeIsQoe/s1600-h/rockingchair.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290637467505704018" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOteow2JlkmF2HoQeLdWTOpebV_sAhncZLMUUxozf6WE6bqR8pPnAoh1xoumLgGF18rPJ7j8fznrLoVyByaMTjc-uAeaHbI9DVmIVmCahUoWCqqiY7jN4zxgZh6tuE1fxEywjTDbeIsQoe/s320/rockingchair.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">I can just see L all dressed up in her pretty yellow frock rocking away in here clutching a doll or some sort and sipping a pretend cup of tea. Cu-ute!</span></p><p align="left">It's true. Soon, they will out-number adult-sized chairs. At the moment, we have 8: a Stokke Tripp Trapp (with another one to come soonish), two wooden Ikea ones that came with a mini table, a child-sized green suede armchair, a little wooden antique chair painted turquoise, a purple Bumbo, a black bouncer and now this little wooden rocking chair - my fave! I just need a baby-sized Cape Cod chair to match my own one and I'll be happy. Oh and maybe a tiny Eames rocker - anyone know if they exist? </p><p align="left">But back to this little rocker. I'd just spent a few thousand at Harvey Norman on kitchen appliances when I decided to pop into a cute little baby store around the corner from it. This was the first thing I saw. I ooohed and ahhed, but decided I couldn't really hide it (as, um, I often do with some purchases. Then when the hubby finally gets around to noticing it I can say "had it for aaaaaaaaaaages". Naughty.) and told the lady so. But then she knocked off a huge chunk of the price and I practically robbed her at $60. How could I say no? Especially when you compare it the last purchase's receipt! The store is a must-see if you're on or near the central coast - it's called Blossom Bubbas (ph: 02 4367 6900) and stocks a beautiful collection of children's decor, clothing and gifts, including Oobi Baby and Lilly & Lolly as well as local crafties who've started their own lines and are just adorable like Four Little Cupcakes and Little Buddha. </p><div><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EdtRWY7zzUjZNeDV6YZR-UAuWhOM_n4cp5CzkagrQAkY5k2qGM2OulLYUq6BgrNR6RT-GTIUXamZRPSJubSTJUMeDAhVTttIml-eyEajbQ-tpeS2Anw9QnLbHaSLTXvjnAfFHG-WHo7f/s1600-h/rockingchair2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290637474823364050" style="WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8EdtRWY7zzUjZNeDV6YZR-UAuWhOM_n4cp5CzkagrQAkY5k2qGM2OulLYUq6BgrNR6RT-GTIUXamZRPSJubSTJUMeDAhVTttIml-eyEajbQ-tpeS2Anw9QnLbHaSLTXvjnAfFHG-WHo7f/s320/rockingchair2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">And just because little baby wardrobes are too cute, here is the contents of L's. She likes to shop at Country Road, Pure Baby, Oobi Baby, Cotton On Kids and Pumpkin Patch. Well, her mum and aunties do anyway. The little yellow cardigan was made by my Nana. I "bagsed it" years before I even fell pregnant the first time with Z!</span></p><p align="left">The chair has since moved into the already-overflowing-with-chairs living room because from lunchtime yesterday, this same space now looks like this:</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7tNTNY6vv1IOMSr5cgy2OrXPlDx5yVFqrvKaGa7jCfwVIJxE65UUa88c_SEobaAM8ogz_2fIRqVALb4JqQUPl-E4tn-JYUP8ONUEYhsfuUbntDIdMrixJYBHfXE-aypA6AN6pxzzc27i/s1600-h/100_2516.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290741342475484738" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7tNTNY6vv1IOMSr5cgy2OrXPlDx5yVFqrvKaGa7jCfwVIJxE65UUa88c_SEobaAM8ogz_2fIRqVALb4JqQUPl-E4tn-JYUP8ONUEYhsfuUbntDIdMrixJYBHfXE-aypA6AN6pxzzc27i/s320/100_2516.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">My new kitchen - you like?</span></p><p align="left">Oh yes, my kitchen cabinets, benchtop, sink and tap arrived. Fifty two boxes. The poor guys couldn't fit the truck through the gates so had to park in the street and walk alllll the way down the driveway, and then along the obstacle course of a deck into our bedroom where they're being stored until it's ready to go (hopefully a couple of weeks only). And it was HOT. So anyway, there were two young, hot sweaty men in my bedroom for a while yesterday. How horrid for me! </p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-77087692203154615272009-01-13T07:00:00.002+11:002009-01-13T22:49:35.586+11:00milk + cookies<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8hBVLBYczf5VuxAn4LTrwnNWg6ibwctvN9MQhKG6I9IRZYw800mCAVqjMbIIVw3GDXfwHuR2rjEPadX4ulJFfWsnILoiQNX2iI2ObaSvs4aDWqP8La8WLV4gV4cLRkMZsEM8N7EBItGS/s1600-h/100_2375.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290357164716092114" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8hBVLBYczf5VuxAn4LTrwnNWg6ibwctvN9MQhKG6I9IRZYw800mCAVqjMbIIVw3GDXfwHuR2rjEPadX4ulJFfWsnILoiQNX2iI2ObaSvs4aDWqP8La8WLV4gV4cLRkMZsEM8N7EBItGS/s320/100_2375.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">The aftermath: not too bad for a two-year-old!</span></p>In between the ridiculously hot days we've been having here, we were thrown a rather cold 17C day last week. Seeing as it came straight after a 40C day, I considered it freezing and was expecting snow. So, being all overcast and uninspiring, I decided it was a good cookie day. And just to blow my own trumpet here, my choc chip cookies are the yummiest. Look hideous, taste heavenly. Anyway, Z and I whipped up a batch and gathered 'round the coffee table to scoff them down, perched on my Chrissy presents from Steve (that I bought! And my gift to him was clothes that he bought! We don't really like surprises). Aren't they lovely? I'd been searching for these poufs for what seemed like forever. Well, I knew where to get them, but I was after a bargain. And finally - finally! - I found one. Bless eBay.<br /><br />So, here's what you need to know. Even with the crappy Aussie dollar, each was $150 (inc postage from the UK), which is a good $50 less than the next best price I found for something similar. They're new, leather, handstitched in Morocco and are sold unstuffed to keep postage costs to a minimum. Stuffed, they stand at about 30 centimetres and are 50cm in diameter. They're perfect for the kids - Z has taken up residence on the one at the end of the table for lunch, drawing, reading and just hanging out. But don't let their size fool you - these things are bottomless pits of storage space. In one there is a sleeping bag, queen-size woolly mattress protector, two good-sized garbage bags filled with baby clothes and there is still space for more. The other has another two bags of old clothes, a doona and some of Steve's old shirts. Great storage for old stuff, but be warned: they do smell rather yucky on the inside so don't put good stuff in there in case it doesn't come out in the wash!<br /><br />Want one? You can get them here: <a href="http://shop.ebay.co.uk/merchant/leatherworldshop_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ">Leather World Shop</a>. They also come in a range of other colours like maroon, fuchsia and turquoise. I know what my sisters are getting for their birthdays this year!belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-83305378702586765982009-01-12T00:55:00.000+11:002009-01-12T12:32:42.055+11:00this week why don't you...<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...read this...</span></div></strong><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav2Gas3Yx1BMJttBwHQ2rlRmrai9giIy-155uz5u8YnvBshAbbHBRYEffm6lqRrU-rCw_fbCCislUZaf8-7qGdmhsCjJ_v4iWeOKy6iJ8sWedMrQ-lteqYzPjXUTnhQChSdK16Cbfpoyk/s1600-h/wedding1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290011971573706610" style="WIDTH: 259px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiav2Gas3Yx1BMJttBwHQ2rlRmrai9giIy-155uz5u8YnvBshAbbHBRYEffm6lqRrU-rCw_fbCCislUZaf8-7qGdmhsCjJ_v4iWeOKy6iJ8sWedMrQ-lteqYzPjXUTnhQChSdK16Cbfpoyk/s320/wedding1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">My latest blog obsession is </span><a href="http://inchmark.squarespace.com/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Inchmark</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> by a former Martha Stewart Weddings and Kids graphic designer. Everything is beautiful, the ideas are unique and you can tell special thought and love go into everything she creates. If there is such a thing as a blogger crush, Brooke Reynolds is mine at the moment! I'm going to steal this idea (above) to make door plaques for my kids' room.</span></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...download this...</span></strong></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7quX0V9fHl6VmkjShnBkkDafYmKVKjA7XhX-_hQE13eDX95MhW7GoMs-HCo4gRemG3Dd3UZKHwK4X6MzLt6ooQAUKY7KsFrkdNijG2SxT56wwXOGdeEs03j8TxqD97wgtPjB6Ijubh4Zm/s1600-h/6a00e008ccf11088340105365f6c71970c-800wi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290010742312549266" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7quX0V9fHl6VmkjShnBkkDafYmKVKjA7XhX-_hQE13eDX95MhW7GoMs-HCo4gRemG3Dd3UZKHwK4X6MzLt6ooQAUKY7KsFrkdNijG2SxT56wwXOGdeEs03j8TxqD97wgtPjB6Ijubh4Zm/s320/6a00e008ccf11088340105365f6c71970c-800wi.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">It's fab! It's funny! It's free! The ever-popular Stay Calm and Carry On poster has been spoofed and shrunk into a greeting card. Download it </span><a href="http://creaturecomforts.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/12/free-printable-card-winning-spoof-from-reader-tza.html"><span style="font-size:85%;">here</span></a><span style="font-size:85%;"> from Creature Comforts and print onto card. Or you could probably even print out on A4 size card and frame as normal.</span> </p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...cook this...</span></strong></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnNOGH1VtIJDhDYLo-nkAhwOWnx4D3jAmSN19kdxnQYFGuXbQp6ijEPm0K7blhKkCw2Sj-2EEzg0q0KIq38OqrTsSDAZZ_yg2PRlURPDqYk4ple9OLMc_nlegpkK4uhmzmmocBO2vrO7D/s1600-h/jan7.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290010739338227922" style="WIDTH: 251px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnNOGH1VtIJDhDYLo-nkAhwOWnx4D3jAmSN19kdxnQYFGuXbQp6ijEPm0K7blhKkCw2Sj-2EEzg0q0KIq38OqrTsSDAZZ_yg2PRlURPDqYk4ple9OLMc_nlegpkK4uhmzmmocBO2vrO7D/s320/jan7.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Make these yummy <a href="http://realliving.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?ID=699233">blueberry muffins</a> now in time for your 4pm sugar hit. And if you do all that mixing by hand, the exercise will cancel out the bad stuff you consume!</span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>...try this...</strong></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLksC00yrxWx2sr1N3I7ULDAdQROGO5l_Sz5BLYeTD0PcCzCA9mfB9BqdiZaS0BGNBWW8DLMQwDky04WZgNpwmv8BAHqtCv339yxobq1FKGAl2NFKPf2TFfFRnIW7S0BXXlHWE-8AAnS0/s1600-h/2938456206_b28741fea6_b.jpg"><strong><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290010743320769570" style="WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizLksC00yrxWx2sr1N3I7ULDAdQROGO5l_Sz5BLYeTD0PcCzCA9mfB9BqdiZaS0BGNBWW8DLMQwDky04WZgNpwmv8BAHqtCv339yxobq1FKGAl2NFKPf2TFfFRnIW7S0BXXlHWE-8AAnS0/s320/2938456206_b28741fea6_b.jpg" border="0" /></strong></a><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">This pretty light started out as an odd little froggie lamp from Ikea's children section, can you believe it? Nicole from <a href="http://makingitlovely.com/">Making it Lovely</a> shows you <a href="http://makingitlovely.com/2008/10/13/updating-an-ikea-lamp/">here </a>how to glam it up easily. Oh look! Another use for wallpaper. Is there anything it can't do? </span></p><p align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">...enter this...</span></strong></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3bsGABg8k2-8q_DwrvwrNszmQPh-ahaJQeNUkOLofjUnvC8CsxSLQFaJUqMRLmMH4DeiPKu-g9ly7q7cV8DHAeWKo1e5NlWgXGXGZ1DbSm4MUPdo7sPxsmYL_B0WhARpDfGcRqBh9mND/s1600-h/ohbooke.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5290011978709305570" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 77px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp3bsGABg8k2-8q_DwrvwrNszmQPh-ahaJQeNUkOLofjUnvC8CsxSLQFaJUqMRLmMH4DeiPKu-g9ly7q7cV8DHAeWKo1e5NlWgXGXGZ1DbSm4MUPdo7sPxsmYL_B0WhARpDfGcRqBh9mND/s320/ohbooke.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Blog in desperate need of someone to wave their magic wand over it? Leave a comment on <a href="http://ohbrooke.net/2009/01/02/blog-design-giveaway/">this post </a>at <a href="http://ohbrooke.net/">Oh Brooke</a> and you could be lucky enough to win a blog redesign by the author/clever creative designer. You have until today (Monday, Jan 12) but luckily, we're ahead of the States, so even if you don't read this until Tuesday morning, it'll still be Monday over there! Tricky! Great blog too with all sorts of handy decorating tips and tricks.</span></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-50176883634903178162009-01-12T00:51:00.000+11:002009-01-12T12:33:10.237+11:00welcome back!<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaR9WRqazum-gK8RFe9XoSqnOTGxd5m6kXPObDBu-HIykq5JZct5C8tCxMcXkj7VjC7U6QYqgrSw3MGgEHiQhbOW_o24pljncw7hdijp84EjVs6VtwVsnqKLiQhKYHOWb5xcL_M82aqku/s1600-h/lara1.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289997768949879458" style="WIDTH: 242px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGaR9WRqazum-gK8RFe9XoSqnOTGxd5m6kXPObDBu-HIykq5JZct5C8tCxMcXkj7VjC7U6QYqgrSw3MGgEHiQhbOW_o24pljncw7hdijp84EjVs6VtwVsnqKLiQhKYHOWb5xcL_M82aqku/s320/lara1.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">How I spent my holidays: lazing around home chilling out. Only not quite so glamourously... Maybe next summer when I get a daybed! Image via The Names Agency</span></p>How was your break? I'm happy to report I pretty much did absolutely nothing and barely crossed a thing off my to-do list. It was heaven being so lazy. I'm not one for making new year's resolutions, so none of that here, but I will take this opportunity to tell you a little about where I'm headed in blogland. I've been thinking recently about what direction I want to take with my blog. It started out as a record of my renovations and attempts at creating a home, but as I'm sure you're aware has taken off in different tangents at times. Then I started <a href="http://minimeez.blogspot.com/">mini meez</a> to satisfy the mum side of me, but I'm finding more and more than I really want to merge the two a little and focus on family/home life. And seeing as I'm also now going to be partly looking after the <a href="http://www.reallivingmagazine.blogspot.com/">Real Living</a> blog also, three is way too many for one already-busy person! So, as of today, I'm not writing mini meez anymore. I'm also going to be making a few tiny changes here in terms of content and eventually - if I get my act together - I'll be redirecting you to another blog altogther which I really hope you'll continue to read. But until then, I'll do my best to stay true to the title and post pretty pics, ideas and of course my never-ending renovation. However, they might be a little sporadic (what's new!?!) - between the blogs, the website, writing for the mag, looking after the bubs and renovating, my time is greatly stretched. I do see a light though - the kitchen cabinets are being delivered tomorrow, the electrician is upgrading our power box Wednesday and the appliances will be here within the week. Hoo-bloody-ray!<br /><br />One more thing: if you've been re-reading older posts, you might have noticed the pics of kids are missing. I'd love to continue to share them with you, but I was always a bit nervous about posting them and then lately certain things have happened, certain thoughts have crept into my mind and certain people have helped me decide that it's time to keep them a little more anonymous. The baby pics are still there, but everything else I've taken down. They'll still make appearances, but I'll just have to be a little more creative from now on!<br /><br />Ok, seriousness over, let's blog! Bxbelinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-66037369798410947772009-01-08T17:12:00.003+11:002009-01-08T17:20:14.954+11:00pssst: a few more pages from the issue<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66eCpbcwcLzygaOO37-MAUv87x6R-_6FFz-FNCV3ar3BdmuURDDrdazHlxlWosD7IEcwQbwXuXVsB4epi9YbIsE4zqA8Ds4johbaGnYgrhJPHBMv79TKvAoDJ_8bM5G1eeBA8F0U3G5A5/s1600-h/pages7.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288802822840656690" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66eCpbcwcLzygaOO37-MAUv87x6R-_6FFz-FNCV3ar3BdmuURDDrdazHlxlWosD7IEcwQbwXuXVsB4epi9YbIsE4zqA8Ds4johbaGnYgrhJPHBMv79TKvAoDJ_8bM5G1eeBA8F0U3G5A5/s320/pages7.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Love the nursery - my collection of driftwood was (previous post) to make a mobile but seeing as I left it on the beach I'm sure it's drifted back off to sea!</span></p> Happy new year! I'll be back properly from Monday, so until then, drool over these. Or just look at them! I posted them on <a href="http://reallivingmagazine.blogspot.com/">Deb's blog</a> today, which by the way will be updated more regularly this year - our new year's resolution! Bx<br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxFailUPmEQvPeT0ZZWUsovv984k3oy4AHv3b26mMnaRuIuUGmy1yqYDpvrm9sHJ9SlxBNJueqZenjhWsMq6xJPXvm_WI0qbAXAnbPtecbBxPIi52MZA2xsScMTNTpHzi0sDbu4TYBicY/s1600-h/pages6.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288802814994495586" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 190px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgxFailUPmEQvPeT0ZZWUsovv984k3oy4AHv3b26mMnaRuIuUGmy1yqYDpvrm9sHJ9SlxBNJueqZenjhWsMq6xJPXvm_WI0qbAXAnbPtecbBxPIi52MZA2xsScMTNTpHzi0sDbu4TYBicY/s320/pages6.bmp" border="0" /></a> </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zsnkfMl2_LaqMAaR-fgfWhxAOKsk9BEJ5f_CaU2iMTpHTtLmPkz0co9GgQno6CJe50VElVCDeg1pYG9iCziwlYPawcG6ADviQaUeWRhScDLZev5WXclgQ2bgRGjv0JUKt3Fn9e-PRyY9/s1600-h/pages5.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288802809975667090" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 187px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2zsnkfMl2_LaqMAaR-fgfWhxAOKsk9BEJ5f_CaU2iMTpHTtLmPkz0co9GgQno6CJe50VElVCDeg1pYG9iCziwlYPawcG6ADviQaUeWRhScDLZev5WXclgQ2bgRGjv0JUKt3Fn9e-PRyY9/s320/pages5.bmp" border="0" /></a></p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-53039157244293755942008-12-30T20:55:00.004+11:002008-12-30T21:36:39.746+11:00out now: jan/feb issue<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-PVpZRIIStX4yE5SUP0sCbqITB129imrhkgiZD00AxJs_Ko4Uf4TZsX4RUfmHXx6mMfabF89E67NdTVxJISp9TxXgduMv1_1BWFHhxQ8bUSOM0Es0EenKS0RoK7lrZDLElgD5slrXGbd/s1600-h/jancover.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285523832292015426" style="WIDTH: 278px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN-PVpZRIIStX4yE5SUP0sCbqITB129imrhkgiZD00AxJs_Ko4Uf4TZsX4RUfmHXx6mMfabF89E67NdTVxJISp9TxXgduMv1_1BWFHhxQ8bUSOM0Es0EenKS0RoK7lrZDLElgD5slrXGbd/s320/jancover.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">The Jan/Feb cover: my new fave!</span></p><p align="left">Hope everyone had a lovely Chrissy and that you were all spoilt rotten. Am still on a break but had to pop on to let you know the Jan/Feb issue is out now and show off a few pages. Aren't they lovely?</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImL1F9_QuVvPZt1UYKITtcOVsbhphndr1T42yekQ0J2lymZUMfLJ8DXJ5YwwLwRa6Gw6vcH5MvzO7QvJ59v603DOx2Egz1FJReqSPefCS6YtpQmI6dr_2A-QRMyep4V8D3X4Gjq3IZlw2/s1600-h/pages1.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285523834319660978" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 191px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjImL1F9_QuVvPZt1UYKITtcOVsbhphndr1T42yekQ0J2lymZUMfLJ8DXJ5YwwLwRa6Gw6vcH5MvzO7QvJ59v603DOx2Egz1FJReqSPefCS6YtpQmI6dr_2A-QRMyep4V8D3X4Gjq3IZlw2/s320/pages1.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Decorating with driftwood. I actually starting collecting pieces today down the road to possibly do one of these projects. But they're still sitting on the sand because I forgot about them! </span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCbulhfZTlXiWt6-P3P8XE1IFnBGP-rAajyAVFbRv3QEoD93qipr5gV38z3iRRJw1E1fCEH2qyQ9Xs5ovU0K65iO0firZaHNaK8NLBmytBmBfrnDHlbddqtP9s1q73m6gmdhlEQvs2w4X/s1600-h/pages2.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285523838067757010" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMCbulhfZTlXiWt6-P3P8XE1IFnBGP-rAajyAVFbRv3QEoD93qipr5gV38z3iRRJw1E1fCEH2qyQ9Xs5ovU0K65iO0firZaHNaK8NLBmytBmBfrnDHlbddqtP9s1q73m6gmdhlEQvs2w4X/s320/pages2.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Shopping for your bedroom: 3 looks</span><br /></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKT0__qi4apgHmq9hbqeGuFV66fI3121RHfBWe2R_-0dkmCPcLRn9JPjFYFtqC1Owioh2ySug9_SbrrU7Jg-v9vPhO5dfLxlXZjA5MwesdEcVSgzfP1fztea7W1IgHhB-5lyhud0zAooFa/s1600-h/pages3.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285523844309349026" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 188px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKT0__qi4apgHmq9hbqeGuFV66fI3121RHfBWe2R_-0dkmCPcLRn9JPjFYFtqC1Owioh2ySug9_SbrrU7Jg-v9vPhO5dfLxlXZjA5MwesdEcVSgzfP1fztea7W1IgHhB-5lyhud0zAooFa/s320/pages3.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Folktastic! For a huge shopping guide for all things folk, go </span><a href="http://realliving.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?ID=699222"><span style="font-size:85%;">here</span></a> </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij43aV6gv5fYOGjqTg4qhMbYuUVJ3E26a2035EFJQc6XRwGlhPGAk2lNrQGZ_LD-Mbc49VJd0gw36l-t6x8qAqW-YwHhic97t7Z6Q6uVJeWYGL7Lych1dIOE7Rb5kyFegomF44C69et6QC/s1600-h/pages4.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285523841296603362" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 192px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij43aV6gv5fYOGjqTg4qhMbYuUVJ3E26a2035EFJQc6XRwGlhPGAk2lNrQGZ_LD-Mbc49VJd0gw36l-t6x8qAqW-YwHhic97t7Z6Q6uVJeWYGL7Lych1dIOE7Rb5kyFegomF44C69et6QC/s320/pages4.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">How to find your own style - from moodboard to room</span><br /></p><p align="left">And of course this means that the site has also changed so head to <a href="http://www.reallivingmag.com.au/">http://www.reallivingmag.com.au/</a> for great links, projects like how to make a giftwrap bedhead, a folk shopping guide, beach beauty, yummy summer recipes and a refreshing fruity margarita and a real reader's nursery makeover. Also, there is a free carpet bag pattern download that Amy Butler herself raved about while in Oz in November and an entry form for the British Paints competition where you could win one of five $1000 paint packs. Phew. </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7j-cbPORUyBeAR1IA6HUrdCQq4IZeRuP1jQ8JQfDdenFD2ccP9MpRsF2q0zbTgUz39nmlnx40uSXmlVay-R9QRpjvNFh87Gwv7WQrBsgPNSLU4GaulL03Er8O3DyAQ2xEPNWLeTLmleaV/s1600-h/jan_outside.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285529008986443826" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7j-cbPORUyBeAR1IA6HUrdCQq4IZeRuP1jQ8JQfDdenFD2ccP9MpRsF2q0zbTgUz39nmlnx40uSXmlVay-R9QRpjvNFh87Gwv7WQrBsgPNSLU4GaulL03Er8O3DyAQ2xEPNWLeTLmleaV/s320/jan_outside.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#999999;">Style my... outdoor chill-out space. This was fun: I love, love the range of outdoor fabrics I found (7) and that beautiful recycled plastic rug (3). I have one of these chairs (2), footstool (6) and chimes(4), so I guess I was a little influenced by my own outdoor chill-out zone! And the tyre tub is on my to-buy list to stash the multitude of bats and balls and outdoor toys Zak keeps accumulating! Go <a href="http://realliving.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?ID=697663">here</a> to find out where to buy all these items.</span></p><p align="left">These last couple of months I've started a "style my..." section where I've had fun putting together little collections for a room. Last month I did style your party table; this month it's style your outdoor chill-out space. Ideally I'd love this space to be budget-friendly so I'm thinking things like "style my living room for less than $2000" just for the challenge. Is there anything you'd love me to try? A particular room? Colourway? Theme? Budget? Let me know! </p>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4989178663623224099.post-35789516995333068832008-12-16T22:05:00.012+11:002008-12-17T22:18:41.776+11:00have a peaceful christmas<div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOMZeXPdrCH9HeygcgKU9RYyrmxWJWo8lpBbo26W5Kkt3IxetgXiYk0Bxe2BV0PGmd3tC4wjgwtvd_3uRP9F7NDT98wmz4CwvP6HQldQp9n-8n89zbTzr7pTQjJWjUzWM5bYiz7Dvr8FE/s1600-h/peace.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280707631984360594" style="WIDTH: 238px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJOMZeXPdrCH9HeygcgKU9RYyrmxWJWo8lpBbo26W5Kkt3IxetgXiYk0Bxe2BV0PGmd3tC4wjgwtvd_3uRP9F7NDT98wmz4CwvP6HQldQp9n-8n89zbTzr7pTQjJWjUzWM5bYiz7Dvr8FE/s320/peace.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="color:#c0c0c0;">Isn't this adorable? From</span> </span><a href="http://flickr.com/photos/brendaleann/"><span style="font-size:85%;">Brenda Leann's Flickr</span></a></p><div align="left">Well guys, I'd planned to blog about so much before the break - gift guides, round up of 2008 trends and predictions for next year - but I am only one person with many hats and work, motherhood, chores and life in general seemed to get in the way. So, I'm taking my break now (not really, I'm working up until Dec 29 when the next upload goes live) and will be back early Jan for a new year. Unless of course I get bored or have something to share! I'm determined to find my way around Flickr this holidays, so check me out <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/24904169@N06/">here</a> - I'll attempt to get that sorted with pics of my place and what I've been up to on my break.</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcrbEu9QUN7YH5RF7M2AkerrWhvE4rM7wsWobGqkcm6ujQrv3r-x6v1P1WadnBBXRTZFVY5WL4oxCoRheKoRZCKr5I_kROEtI9P40lHTuijkc6SM0lvLmjGrN9bgsfZNe-TqEqxzxv07z/s1600-h/blog_love_award.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280658366523417682" style="WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 242px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigcrbEu9QUN7YH5RF7M2AkerrWhvE4rM7wsWobGqkcm6ujQrv3r-x6v1P1WadnBBXRTZFVY5WL4oxCoRheKoRZCKr5I_kROEtI9P40lHTuijkc6SM0lvLmjGrN9bgsfZNe-TqEqxzxv07z/s320/blog_love_award.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Np5N03_JfkkvxI3qDVlbpcZTGymiMXVY4WhRF-KREL5LzQfvg_bNlKl4bX1AfZdaiMiG6mQ7ZrQ6CLj4yiZtAAD3lreBc-i3bsmmP98Pia6eLO9ZsmSh_d8PlMKpL0rB9cdhp42I_3qM/s1600-h/butterflyaward.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280706292610156402" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Np5N03_JfkkvxI3qDVlbpcZTGymiMXVY4WhRF-KREL5LzQfvg_bNlKl4bX1AfZdaiMiG6mQ7ZrQ6CLj4yiZtAAD3lreBc-i3bsmmP98Pia6eLO9ZsmSh_d8PlMKpL0rB9cdhp42I_3qM/s320/butterflyaward.png" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;color:#c0c0c0;">Yay! Blog awards for me!</span></p><p align="left">Before I go... I was awarded two "Love your blog" awards recently - one by <a href="http://jogirlsjourney.blogspot.com/">Jo Girl </a>and the other from <a href="http://ishandchi.blogspot.com/">Ish & Chi</a>, so big thanks for those! I'm meant to pass it on to six bloggers I happen to love, but I'm going to do it a little differently. Instead, I thought I'd hand out some virtual Chrissy gifts to my most regular haunts. I've come across a gazillion brilliant blogs this year and check out dozens every week, but there are a handful in my daily rotation - most of which I'm sure you also regularly check out. So here are the women who've inspired me, entertained me, made me laugh, taught me things, become my blogging friends or just kept me in touch with what's happening outside of the design world- and a few things I thought each blogger would like to receive. Of course, it'd be much nicer to receive them for real, but... it's the thought that counts, right?!<br /><br /><strong>Merry Christmas... Holly Becker of </strong><a href="http://decor8blog.com/"><strong>Decor8</strong></a><strong> and </strong><a href="http://hollymaus.blogspot.com/"><strong>Haus Maus</strong></a><br />Holly's Decor8 inspired me to blog regularly. She packs it with so many inspiring images, thoughts and information every single day and is so nice and sweet on top of it! Then she went and started up a second blog documenting the decoration of her German apartment and she's put me to shame. In just a few months she's achieved more than I have in five years! But I love her eclectic style and eye from what I've seen in both her homes. It's been fun following her journey, during which I've discovered she has a thing for owls. So here is a lovely Letterpressed owl print from <a href="http://www.bespokepress.com.au/">Bespoke Press </a>(whose store has just opened and who has a great <a href="http://bespokepress.blogspot.com/">blog</a> too, check it out!) </p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zbLDjHRgEFAnV30Qq4t67w9xE7RMyvBNYy7OmtuwgSaf9c2xe88ZN2LTIQAcvmlGfEpsIdDMSTiynZAXlEo_leLy6DPByiSH9z9XKAcvff_neK6kGjjX4wEVGP5lUHasty4OOAUSzcIg/s1600-h/bespoke.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280658364749275762" style="WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zbLDjHRgEFAnV30Qq4t67w9xE7RMyvBNYy7OmtuwgSaf9c2xe88ZN2LTIQAcvmlGfEpsIdDMSTiynZAXlEo_leLy6DPByiSH9z9XKAcvff_neK6kGjjX4wEVGP5lUHasty4OOAUSzcIg/s320/bespoke.jpg" border="0" /></a> </p><div><div><div><div><strong>Merry Christmas.... Danielle de Lange of <a href="http://www.style-files.com/">The Style Files</a></strong></div><div>I know I'm going to see something beautiful when I log on to Danielle's blog. She has exquisite taste that I wish would rub off on to me via the internet! She's a stylist, a web store owner, a blogger, a corporate girl and has just added removator to her list of talents - I hope she invites us into her new world of dust and dramas as she makes her gorgeous little farmhouse just outside of Amsterdam a home. I thought she might love this beaded storage box by <a href="http://attiahome.etsy.com/">Attia</a>. White, handmade, glam beads. Perfect! Maybe even something for her to stock in <a href="http://www.soukshop.com/">Le Souk</a>!?</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBO5YrNAXM32jhu-lCbcTEGJ8-fjWBgvB6L4u3Sooc6Kl4ZPmMgRRm9416471BMiFn3fpwhE0vtApqoO24pIeBSnPFsDK-lF4Z6VvU32yKzbKJmdM4sJuzkSrNmKJ9a33m6VMTj44xKpc/s1600-h/il_430xN_37322430.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280711833566431602" style="WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXBO5YrNAXM32jhu-lCbcTEGJ8-fjWBgvB6L4u3Sooc6Kl4ZPmMgRRm9416471BMiFn3fpwhE0vtApqoO24pIeBSnPFsDK-lF4Z6VvU32yKzbKJmdM4sJuzkSrNmKJ9a33m6VMTj44xKpc/s320/il_430xN_37322430.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div><strong>Merry Christmas.... Trina McNeilly of <a href="http://lalalovelythings.blogspot.com/">La La Lovely Things</a></strong></div><div>I'm a newish reader of Trina's blog but have found myself returning daily. It's warm and friendly and filled with all things pretty. And I love finding out interesting things about people, like that her father is a newspaper man - just like my hubby and me in a previous life (well, I was a newspaper<em>woman</em>! We met in shorthand class. Everyone say ahhh). Trina represents my all things girlie side - think chandeliers, flowers and pink. I think she'd love this chandelier stationery set from <a href="http://www.pinkparisdesign.com/">Pink Paris Design</a>.</div><div><br /></div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjrVmKyg3zZjHH9FlzyOvUMDLUPS9Uke-qujJvxD1_-4458PLfA-wmVU-B4DOSOWCUvvNjAXvLMuxY0vj94lLeD2FEZpNNx_OxuVPUWhXiBQhnfzPRiVSdqxJur57TP7DQJfNFsL4mq2_/s1600-h/la-pink-chandelier-grp+pinkparisdesign.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280658359173678850" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBjrVmKyg3zZjHH9FlzyOvUMDLUPS9Uke-qujJvxD1_-4458PLfA-wmVU-B4DOSOWCUvvNjAXvLMuxY0vj94lLeD2FEZpNNx_OxuVPUWhXiBQhnfzPRiVSdqxJur57TP7DQJfNFsL4mq2_/s320/la-pink-chandelier-grp+pinkparisdesign.gif" border="0" /></a></p><div><strong>Merry Christmas... Jennifer Ramos of <a href="http://madebygirl.blogspot.com/">Made By Girl</a></strong></div><div>I live my bright, bold and colourful side through Jen! I'm not brave enough to do it in my own home so enjoy the oodles of colour she features on her blog and in her work. I now have two of her artworks - the ABC and LOVE poster - and I'm sure there is room for more! I thought I'd found a unique store in <a href="http://www.coxandcox.co.uk/">Cox & Cox</a> and had copied this cushion into my folder a while back for this very blog post and then Holly goes and blogs about it yesterday and ruins it for me - hmph! Hehe. But here it is anyway, I know how much Jen loves her Union Jacks! </div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BrvOOjbicJ64ASD6TFiq_U_LXJNi0f-2-jIy-8t9LolEFknd2LSAZfIKLJqgk-Dr4Wpi69JINMFOoYsIKw6khQqnuzTGkxjN1xgGPrKO5cuA8eFhqXJrAMwhCScCUW_b6ng1l_6vBYX7/s1600-h/H-UNION.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280711832341896354" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 234px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BrvOOjbicJ64ASD6TFiq_U_LXJNi0f-2-jIy-8t9LolEFknd2LSAZfIKLJqgk-Dr4Wpi69JINMFOoYsIKw6khQqnuzTGkxjN1xgGPrKO5cuA8eFhqXJrAMwhCScCUW_b6ng1l_6vBYX7/s320/H-UNION.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div><strong>Merry Christmas... Amanda of <a href="http://swishandswanky.blogspot.com/">Swish and Swanky</a></strong></div><div>I found Amanda via my own blog! And she quickly became a regular for me too. Her posts are a mix of personal and inspirational and she had a genius idea these past few weeks to feature a range of different bloggers and how they celebrate Chrissy. I was honoured to be a part and thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's responses. For Amanda I think this adorable little put-it-together-yourself felt birdhouse from <a href="http://www.lolaetmoi.com.au/">Lola et Moi</a> would be perfect - for her or her daughter's room.</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QuwfKZRvfp-BvyllzE0-6UxLCmKI7-dR-NoU1veXz7MQrdYDJXmVL97X2jnt8sHlwZl2MOtSw-la3u37A-hZ6MxlrCdQbCo2789M1vepmxjeTiLXydp8mjq3XPDOttflgcE5WyQSruWN/s1600-h/PHOTOMAISON.png"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280656748230546082" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 226px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5QuwfKZRvfp-BvyllzE0-6UxLCmKI7-dR-NoU1veXz7MQrdYDJXmVL97X2jnt8sHlwZl2MOtSw-la3u37A-hZ6MxlrCdQbCo2789M1vepmxjeTiLXydp8mjq3XPDOttflgcE5WyQSruWN/s320/PHOTOMAISON.png" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left"><strong>Merry Christmas... Danielle of <a href="http://danielleandsteve.blogspot.com/">Danimezza</a></strong><br />Danielle was my very first commenter and huge supporter of this blog from the beginning. From her incredibly interesting career choices to her love for her hubby to her battle with that horrid "I" word mums-wanting-to-be shudder at the thought of (and of which I can relate) to her dinner party table settings, she writes about everything and anything in her life - a true blogger I'd say! I know she collects turquoise glass and you just can't beat a <a href="http://www.dinosaurdesigns.com.au/">Dinosaur Designs</a> turquoise vase, so this one is for her!</p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDOHxdrM7OmaiF4mJGPBbtp_akduiy8FLSfTol_t5LywcTybzuA9CQIs1xCxjfedxtU6WEvvY9I7M5kVVvu7qO0hfsnkFv3UDXJ47gHFNgFh5r-Qiy55FPKd2qK3-fTyqZhnu1F456zrV/s1600-h/vase-lilly-1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280656744882820706" style="WIDTH: 244px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 279px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDOHxdrM7OmaiF4mJGPBbtp_akduiy8FLSfTol_t5LywcTybzuA9CQIs1xCxjfedxtU6WEvvY9I7M5kVVvu7qO0hfsnkFv3UDXJ47gHFNgFh5r-Qiy55FPKd2qK3-fTyqZhnu1F456zrV/s320/vase-lilly-1.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div><strong>Merry Christmas... Viv of <a href="http://ishandchi.blogspot.com/">Ish & Chi</a></strong></div><div>I haven't known Viv all that long either but her nursery decroration sold me - this girl has style! She's just given birth to adorable baby Robbie but still finds time to blog about all things pretty, her eBay and market scores and her painting. Her red and white nursery is adorable and I thought this beautiful so-soft <a href="http://www.lunagallery.com.au/">Luna Ninos</a> blanket might make a lovely addition to it!</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnQvTyBdJsFm93uZm2meHy4Jpev_F59ZCE2L1i42Q_cQTXm7_PiSLvQ3Jbm5GOoC0lLHFPX1RGhSVxDAHlmGMJuuVfZp0G66vnnUKqmlD-S7Ex_uO6FhObOtQY9LprlI-HqK4MsD0rJ0I/s1600-h/236.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280656746276331490" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 215px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicnQvTyBdJsFm93uZm2meHy4Jpev_F59ZCE2L1i42Q_cQTXm7_PiSLvQ3Jbm5GOoC0lLHFPX1RGhSVxDAHlmGMJuuVfZp0G66vnnUKqmlD-S7Ex_uO6FhObOtQY9LprlI-HqK4MsD0rJ0I/s320/236.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div><strong>Merry Christmas... Mia Freedman of <a href="http://mamamia.com.au/">Mamamia</a></strong></div><div>Not design related at all (in fact she's rather anti-homewares and renovations!) but my daily read for celebrity snippets and fashion eye candy which saves me from the painful Perez Hilton-type blogs I can't handle any more. Her life musings and family-life stories are always amusing and relatable and of all the blogs I read, she's the only one I've actually met in person (aside from <a href="http://reallivingmagazine.blogspot.com/">Deb</a> and <a href="http://dailyimprint.blogspot.com/">Nat</a> of course, but current colleagues don't count) - she was my former boss. Seeing as she's been wondering lately if Nicole Kidman's plastic-like face is really due to sunscreen as the actress claims, I thought this Nic doll by <a href="http://www.ncruz.com/">Noel Cruz</a> would be the perfect tongue-in-cheek gift for her to spot the differences. One could argue the doll is more lifelike! Ha! (Oh and you must check out the other celebrity dolls he's created. Spooky how much they resemble the actors.)</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_Sg0UtPoiC28K67rwQ5d4tV4HgHNEBQvZ0MGr_DEvYsilma-VA0yMguvAo0_aikRm8O6829ZgjvLbSVXWehuNyVhU3dBsSy9rigf4z8EcUqDN3bRJ0m_ySYYlYhSSTuKvvQ2hqb7PjcM/s1600-h/nicoledoll.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280656715658091074" style="WIDTH: 280px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC_Sg0UtPoiC28K67rwQ5d4tV4HgHNEBQvZ0MGr_DEvYsilma-VA0yMguvAo0_aikRm8O6829ZgjvLbSVXWehuNyVhU3dBsSy9rigf4z8EcUqDN3bRJ0m_ySYYlYhSSTuKvvQ2hqb7PjcM/s320/nicoledoll.jpg" border="0" /></a></p><div><strong>And finally, Merry Christmas... every single one of you who's visited me here or at <a href="http://minimeez.blogspot.com/">mini meez</a>, commented on a post, emailed me personally, helped me, promoted me and inspired me.</strong></div><div>It's been a joy being part of such a <em>nice</em> blogging community (unlike some others I've visited at times) and to thank you all, here are some little gifts for you too, beautifully wrapped by <a href="http://www.rebeccathuss.com/">Rebecca Thuss</a>. The gifts inside are whatever you wish them to be! So go on, treat yourself to something nice, you so deserve it! And I invite you all to give virtual gifts this year to your current faves - it's rather fun picking invisible gifts (within a realistic budget!) you think they'd like even when you don't know them that well. And if you do do, come back here and tell me so I can peek at what you've come up with.</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOIj4IbImJDK1kgLkR-4-YXqMIDv9Dc81l1E_vCPLo0XRUEFf80wS_89qT2btsJAOW3JLiAMibifoJqQQMdmb3P2Di_h5kueUtDKT58sWdXV9IuvitNryO9wbxlgNwgext6zVVPX8ZSqy/s1600-h/thuss.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280656712602236882" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 212px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSOIj4IbImJDK1kgLkR-4-YXqMIDv9Dc81l1E_vCPLo0XRUEFf80wS_89qT2btsJAOW3JLiAMibifoJqQQMdmb3P2Di_h5kueUtDKT58sWdXV9IuvitNryO9wbxlgNwgext6zVVPX8ZSqy/s320/thuss.bmp" border="0" /></a></p><p align="left">Until 2009, have a fab, fun, safe and happy silly season.<br />Belinda x</p></div></div></div></div>belinda grahamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13871253688691089830noreply@blogger.com7