Surprise!

The Bump - 12 weeks 1 day and all's well
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

We are pregnant! This is our scan from 12 weeks and 1 day, when our ultrasonographer told us that this baby is "perfect". We are so thankful. Getting to this point, where we could celebrate this little person-in-progress, was a long time coming.

Our heartfelt thanks to the fabulous Kate (our gorgeous and wonderful fertility specialist and cheerleader).

A very special thankyou to our dear friends and family for being our best supports possible. Thankyou xo

And of course to my amazing hubby.... words are not enough. 2008 is going to be an amazing year my lovely xo

I could go on.....but if this were an Academy Award acceptance speech the music would have started playing at least two paragraphs ago.

Chat soon, xo

Oh, and Fi, we have three bedrooms in our new house... plenty of space for the baby! ;)

Terrifically Positioned Time Capsule... aka the house update

Hello all!!!

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas (to those of you who celebrate it) and if you don't celebrate Christmas, hope you enjoyed the public holidays. I am currently on leave from work, and it is absolute bliss! So I have been avoiding the computer (as I spend most of my working life in front of one), but realised it was really overdue for me to give you the house update... so here it is!

Soon we will be moving to the inner north side of Melbourne! (Very exciting).

Our new home to be (late January) was advertised as a "Terrifically Positioned Time Capsule" (a change from the usual term "renovators delight"... must admit I enjoyed their creativity here).

It's a 3br brick terrace with only one shared wall and a walkway down the left hand side. The bedrooms have striped wallpaper and shag carpet (noice!). Walking down the hallway past the bedrooms it has a large lounge room (2 whole metres deeper than the one we are in now) and an eat in kitchen. The bathroom and laundry (both in reasonable, if not pretty, condition) are at the back, before you head out to what we describe as an enormous backyard (after living with one just the size of one car for two and a half years). But enough words, I am sure the photos are much more exciting!

A couple of quick FAQs...

Is this another home you are planning to renovate?

Yes.

What's the first job on the list of things to do?
After any structural repairs we get into the fun stuff. Probably the shag carpet and the wallpaper in the bedrooms will be the place we start.

When will you get the time to do the renos?
In all of our "spare" time (!).

How long do you think you will live in this house?
A while... five? seven? years probably.

Any more questions are welcomed!

Have a fabulous week xo

christmas 07 - pavlova end result

christmas 07 - pavlova end result #2
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

Here it is... my first ever pavlova baked for christmas day...the final product --- love these berries! (from the south melbourne market).

This photo also features the bargain fabric I got at spotlight on Christmas Eve... only $20 for 6 metres.

More Chrissie photos later... oh! and I promise the house update next post!!!

Chat soon, x

flashback friday! "christmas special"

Hello all

This is most likely going to be my last flashback friday of 2007, and what better way to end than to focus on christmases past.

The photo above is of my cousin Chris, me and Papa (my mum's dad). I don't have many photos with Papa, and I really love this one. My memories of Papa have really faded over time, but I can still feel how I felt about him, and am sad that I didn't get to know him for longer. as a kid, I always thought my cousin Chris was just incredible, and it is lovely that we are now "grown up" (in theory, anyway!) and are still in touch. This eat-in kitchen was the heart of this house for me. I think this is why I am so excited about our eat-in kitchen at our new house, hoping we can create the same warm, loving and fun environment in our kitchen and make it the heart of our home, too.

This next photo is of Mum, Dad, me, my brother, and our dear friends Fiona and Laura, all snuggled together and singing along to Carols By Candlelight on the TV (I'm at the back of the green beanbag). This is something that happened every year, and is one of the highlights for me at Christmas. I actually got to a Sydney Carols By Candleight a few years ago and it was a magical night... I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Anyway, in case I don't pop my head in here again to say hello before Christmas, wishing you a beautiful, wonderful, magical Christmas and a fabulous and safe new year. Thankyou for visiting and chatting this year... I have enjoyed your company!

Chat soon, xx

christmas shopping - instalment no. 1

Who here has finished their Christmas shopping already???

You have? Already? Well, I am afraid that I am not so organised, and thought it may be helpful to showcase some fantastic gifts available from Australians on etsy (as it is probably a wee bit late at this stage to be shopping o/s). In this first instalment, I am going to focus on gifts for the women in our lives... our mums, our aunts, our wives, etc...

veronica darling peppery olivia cheeky badge

magic jelly pocket mirror - lulu

ellenade chocolate hat with feature brim



anna laura felt badge - lana

siiri skull hairclip yellow polkadot

interrobang purple haze bucket tote

oneandonly retro hoop earrings

misswoolly cross stitch brooch

Happy shopping everyone!

Oh! and by the way, we bought a house today! (more details later... promise!)

xx

flashback friday! dressing up for a wedding....

Hello!

I am thrilled that we are no longer doing themes for Flashback Friday... it was all getting way too difficult to find photos to fit the theme!

This is a photo of me with my brother, all dressed up for my uncle's wedding. I reckon this was early-mid 1980s.

Check out the hair! I remember the day before, mum tied so many rags into my hair, I felt so special, and how exciting it felt to then go to bed with them still in!!! I felt quite different though when she had taken them all out the next morning, and stood me in front of a glass door so I could just see my reflection... I cried! But I am sure I got over it, and I remember how my hair felt, it was lovely and soft. I am not sure if it looks cute or if it is appropriate to laugh at this photo!

In this photo I am wearing my favourite blue dress with my favourite pale blue socks and gorgeous metallic blue Mary Janes.... my mum shopped incredibly well for this outfit! I wore it at every opportuninty, and remember wearing it in summer (without the shirt underneath) and in the winter... how sad when I grew out of it!

Now, looking at my brother, how cool was he in the brown and the cardi...? too funny!!!

Have a great weekend, xx

explanation for a brief absence

So, where have I been all of this time????

1. Toilet training the dog (still... any tips on toilet training dogs who refuse to go outside during or after rain will be much appreciated!)
2. Making softies for Mirabel, thanks Pip for organising this! (My softies are on their way ... sorry I am never on time!)
3. Hanging out with the hubby
4. Making secret surprises for my secret santa swap, organised by the good elf Donna

5. Celebrating my birthday (yippee! another year wiser! - ha!) with twilight lawn bowls with friends
6. House hunting...still hoping to find something by Christmas!

7. Reviewing the final print of my pages in a new slow craft book being published in China in January

8. Christmas crafting! (see the brief post below about my latest angel Josie)
9. And when I get the time, just lazing about the house!

Hope you all have a beautiful weekend! xx

josie the angel

josie the angel close
Originally uploaded by summer pickles

I have been very busily sewing for Christmas this past fortnight. Here is Josie, a new angel I have made. Lots of pink of course!
Chat soon, xx