✴ what's hot & what's not...

Image HomeShoppingSpy  

I don't seem to have time to do anything at the moment. My dreams of a homemade christmas seem a distant lamplight that I just can't seem to reach in an otherwise foggy fuddle of necessary to do's and run-arounds....Sigh.....I caved yesterday in M&S and bought christmas cards....Even bigger sigh.........

At least there is some time to reflect on what's hot and what most definitely is not on this wet, grey winter's morning.

Pop along to miss Loobylu  for more hot/not lists. Go on...You know you want to.....

Hot

✴Ideal Home Magazine. This magazine is celebrating it's 90th birthday this month. 90 years! Wow! Also really love Ideal Home's blog Home Shopping Spy. Beautiful images and great ideas. Hooray!

Image here 

✴Kirstie's Homemade Christmas. What joy to be flicking around the telly channels last night with no clue of what might be on to discover Kirstie's Homemade Christmas on channel four. And I was just in time for it! Yeah! Love Kirstie Allsopp. Love her witty and argumentative banter with Phil on Location (x 3) and especially loved the Homemade home series she did earlier this year...I was hooked and extremely envious of the gorgeous home, the dilapidated Meadowgate, she had created and renovated with thrift finds and handmade home wares. This time it's all about a homemade christmas (yeah I think the clue is in the title...) at Meadowgate which hasn't seen a christmas for 30 years! Aww!

Homemade is soooo hot!

✴Muji. Stocking fillers, Muji style. Just love their little wooden toys and quirky gifts. Perfect stocking filler size and made from wood...which is good! What's not to love with chicken skittles??!

Image here 

Not

✴Time. Or lack of. Had such great hopes for making and baking, and so far....What was I thinking!??? I guess I still have a little time to get organised....Don't I??

✴Darkness. Ok I love winter, I love the dark, usually. But as it's taking me and the baba so long to get organised at the moment, we end up heading out at about 3.30pm, and it's almost dark! Weird. It's confusing baba boo a wee bit too! Had got so used to sitting on the boardwalk at 4.30pm and watching the waves........Ahhhh, miss that. I do.

✴ what's hot & what's not...

Oh my gosh, forgive me, it has been a whole week since my last post.....which was also hot/not!

Slowly trying to get back to some sort of creative love, but having to wade through the unpacking and tidying and sorting and blah...blah.... Feel so behind! Feeling a lot like a cute little chipmunk who has awakened from a long hibernation, but probably looking a lot like a big grisly bear with bed head and in need of a manicure...!

Thankful for Loobylu and the hot/not list to help me climb out of the zoned out blues........

Hot

✴Cox & Cox. I love this shop. I love that they categorise everything by celebration! So much choice for festive cheer from this place but am especially loving the vintage birds, gingerbread house cookie cutters and window snowflake stickers.

Images Cox & Cox 

✴East London Design Show. Really hope I can make it here this weekend especially as one of my friends is selling here! Yoyo Ceramics. Such lovely things she has made. I already have the ceramic butter dish inspired by tupperware but definitely have my eye on a ceramic notepad, eco friendly and uber stylish! Love having crafty creative chums....

Images Yoyo Ceramics 

✴Winter Weddings. So magical and romantic. Candlelight and frost, what could be better?! Celebrating our wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks, couldn't have had a more wintery wedding, getting hitched on the Winter Solstice! Off to a wedding on friday. Will hopefully be feeling a bit more 'with it' by then! I'm sure a glass of champagne will sort me out!! So looking forward to a day without sick on my shoulder (well, hopefully!?)

Not

✴ Jetlag. Obviously! But more specifically a baby with jetlag! Poor little thing has been totally crashed out at 4pm each day then really unhappy to be woken up to have some dinner and even more upset to be put in the bath! Oh dear, hopefully better soon.

✴Jury Summons. Ooops! Guess what sort of letter I've just opened form the pile delivered while we were away!? Supposed to be there on the 14th! Don't they know it's christmas???

✴Jetlag. Did I already mention that??!.........

✴ what's hot & what's not...

This is my last Aussie hot/not!!! Can't believe how quickly the time has flown! It is quite a hectic week, packing and sorts so apologies if you have left a comment here and I haven't responded yet. That should also explain my unbelievable lateness in posting this...Sigh........

Anyhoo, pop along to Loobylu  for more lists...

Hot

✴Suzy Ultman. How gorgeous are these prints from Suzy Ultman? I bought these Paper Doll Parade notecards from Seed on sunday and I adore the set of Home Sweet Home prints- Just too cutie pie for words. They'll look so beautiful in frames I think.

✴Sticker Love. I've gone a bit gaga for stickers! It all began in Kikki K  and has just grown from there. But how can you resist a bit of sticker love.... Sticker books are the new big thing I reckon, we're all having a bit of a return to our childhoods, remember when you used to write letters to people? Way back in the good old days? Me and my friend, Miss P used to write to each other all the time, even though we lived a mere stones throw from each other. I found a stash of these letters recently - so funny! All of the letters were covered in different stickers, ballerinas, stars, hologram stickers - Ooooh how big was hologram in the '80's??

Anyway these sticker books are really hitting my sticker-love spot!?

Small Object Labels & Stickers by Sarah Neuburger

Crafty Stickers  by Catherine Head

This Book Belongs To  by Grady Mcferrin

Christmas DIY Sticker Book by Kikki K

✴Amazon Wishlist. Dear Santa, you know how you always say you are stuck for ideas of what to get me for Christmas, well stop your whinging and have peepo at my Amazon Wishlist...!

I'm having a bit of an Amazon revival at the moment, because I haven't been there in a long time! I've bought a lot of books out here and although of course it's always lovely to wander around a bookshop, well, I had a look at all the books I'd bought here, on Amazon, and was shocked to discover how much more I'd paid for the books! Yikes. So I resisted buying anymore and added the ones I'd been coveting into an Amazon wishlist. Well, lets just say I got a bit carried away and the list grew, and grew. I was like a giddy bride writing her wedding gift list, which is kind of what I was like 2 years ago when I actually was that giddy bride writing her wedding gift list...!

Images Amazon

Not

✴Leaving Australia! In three days time we get our flight back to the UK! So instead of writing a list of nots I'm going to stay on the positive and give you my list of aussie hots as encountered by me whilst living Gold Coast side of this fab little (eh?) land.....Ella has put in her favourites too and I also think there maybe a rogue not in there, can you tell which one....?

Mount Tamborine :: Finders Keepers :: Lamingtons :: Byron Bay :: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary  :: Dorothy the Dinosaur  :: Lola's :: Bill Granger :: Schoolies :: Kikki. K :: Humpbacks :: Rafferty's Garden :: Tim Tams :: Dymocks :: Witchery :: Notebook :: Meet Me At Mikes :: Q1 :: MBD Deli :: Poppies For Grace :: Country Road  :: Vegemite  :: Windy Peak :: Earth Choice :: Inside Out :: Donna Hay :: Veronika Maine :: Cinderella :: Mimco :: Max Brenners :: Narnia 

& of course...

All of the fantastic aussie blogs I've discovered while out here, all of whom will be coming back to Blighty with me thanks to the power of t'internet.....Yippeeeeeee!

✴ What's Hot & What's Not...

Hot

✴Stamping. Not the ground, or my fist, but lovely ink stamping onto paper, fabric or whatever is lying around waiting to be stamped! I bought these letter stamps from Kikki. K at the weekend.

More stamp love at

NoraJane

Rubbertrouble

Anna Griffin

Two Cheese Please 

✴PDF Purchases. I have loved an online shop called Mibo for a while now, such beautiful prints and textiles. I was delighted to discover they now have an etsy store and even more delighted to discover these make-at-home 'Christmas Creatures' available as a PDF file! Fantastic, instant Mibo love. I also have my eye on that print-it-yourself calendar...

Images Mibo 

✴The Water Babies. Or more specifically my water baby. We took Ella swimming properly at the weekend, we've dipped her toe in a few times and it's been met with an instant leg split away from the water so we were not sure how it was going to go. She loved it! Splashed her little heart out, bless.

I do love the book though as well!

The Water Babies image here

Not

✴Farewells. Saying goodbye to friends over here as we all start to leave Australia. It's been fun!

✴Packing. Again, I know, it was last weeks Not...And will most likely be next weeks Not! It has to be done....Sigh......

✴Slighty 'Off'. Waking with a very dry throat on a very grey day...Hmmmm.....Looks like it might be the perfect day to tackle that packing.....Sigh.....

Some lovely peeps have written their Hot/Nots go and have a peek at Loobylu ...

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✴ What's Hot & What's Not...

Image here & here 

Yes, it really is that time again...Oh my golly gosh time is flying away.....Phew......

For more Hot/Nots go visit Loobylu ...

Hot

✴Fondue. Not the cheesy version with flares, side burns and argyle jumpers, or the cheesey version with melted gorgonzola and stale bits of bread, but the chocolate version. And not just any chocolate version, but the quick stop post shop Max Brenner's version.......Mmmmmm.......

What better way to rebuild lost blood sugar from dashing around the shops* getting all those necessary household essentials, (*Kikki.K, Mimco, David Jones, Veronika Maine, Witchery, Marcs....), a thankless task for any busy housewife.......

And here comes the science bit, it can actually help towards your 5 a day, well, not the chocolate bit...or the cake bit... or the marshmallow bit.....but bananas and strawberries??....I rest my case.

✴ Decorative Electricity Units. Or whatever they are, the metal boxes at the side of the road which obviously have cables and turny knobs and important buttons in them. They're usually grey and drab. But not here. I've seen so many which are all beautifully painted with quirky images. Does the council commission someone to paint these or does Australia have an abundance of highly creative and mild mannered teenagers with spray cans? It would sooo get abused in London..! They are great and definitely brighten my day!

✴Manta Ray. The whales have all gone now but I did spot a Manta Ray (or some other such Ray) in the ocean one morning while on the balcony. The water was really clear and I could easily make out it's huge shape gracefully swimming along the waters edge...Amazing!

Image here 

Not

✴ Packing. Have to seriously start thinking about packing. Just over two weeks until return home. There's so much to sort out and pack up not to mention cleaning the apartment.....groan......

✴ Tan. Or lack of tan! I have no tan. Well ok I have maybe a bit of colour on my arms and maybe a tiny glow to my face but I STILL have pasty white legs!!! I thought a few months in Australia might give me lovely tanned legs but NO! What has been with the rain and clouds??? Eh?...Eh? I'll be laughed out of Blighty if I don't return with a lovely tan......Have two weeks or it'll be time to crack open the gravy browning! Thank goodness it's tights season back home!

Anyway, short but sweet Hot/Not list today I have to rush out to the cinema....Yeah, that'll help with the tan...!!

☺☹

✴ What's Hot & What's Not...

Image Hello Lucky 

Hot

              

✴Old letterpress stationery and prints. As already mentioned, at the weekend I bought a beautiful print from Bespoke Letterpress Boutique (at Finders Keepers ). It's called 'The Sugar In Your Tea, In My Camomile Dreams' and was printed on an antique 1893 letterpress. I just love the delicacy and subtle embossment of the image on the paper.....So beautiful.

The Sugar In Your Tea, In My Camomile Dreams by Kristal Melson

I also love that most of these machines are antiques. Hooray! Back to the old fashioned way is what I say!

I also stumbled across this gorgeous letterpress clock in Suga Suga on sunday (while still glowing from my Finders haul!) and just had to have it...

Other Letterpress lovelies that are catching my eye and making me go  Ooohhhhh.......!

Moontree Letterpress

Hello Lucky

Letterpress Delicacies

✴Flowers on food. So pretty and you can eat them....Love!

Lunch on the Southbank, Brisbane

✴Cath Kidston 'Sew'. I've resisted buying this book for a while. Not because I don't love Cath Kidston, because I do, alot! I was just wary of turning into a Cath Kidston clone, churning out her work with my wonky stitching- that sort of thing, you know?

But a lack of other interesting books in the bookstore (because I've already bought most of them) and the impending deadline for making christmas gifts made me go for the safe but colourful option.                                                    I have to say her pattern for the Inside Out Tote Bag is inspiring and will be a great thing to make for the home. I also love all the simple patterns; egg cosy's, oven gloves, tote bags, drawstring bags- it certainly isn't rocket science but it is good to have all of those basic patterns already drawn out on paper, saving a lot of time for us busy mummies!                                                      Go Cath!

Not

✴'The Land of the Lost'. Terrible film, can be filed away under 'Bad Will Ferrell Movies' which seems to be an ever growing list ('Talledega Nights' anyone??).

✴Too many thoughts...And not enough time! I have so many ideas for things I want to make at the moment and only about half an hour a day in which to get them done! Merde!!!

✴Poorly People. A baba with snuffles and a mama with a sore throat does not a happy morning make!

For more Hot/Not lists head to Loobylu

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☺ What's Hot & ☹ What's Not!

Is it that time again already..? The weeks really are flying by, (that can definitely go into the Not list).

Anyway I'm not usually this consistant but I love taking part in this meme from Loobylu and especially love seeing others hot/not lists.

Hot

'The Painted Veil' such a beautiful, sad and romantic film. Set in China in the 1920's the imagery is just breathtaking. I love that '20's/'30's look. Naomi Watts looks stunning with her soft pin-curled hair and bisque linen and lace drop-waist dresses and delicate cloche hats. It's just so beautiful and elegant and epitomises a lost era of a civilised time when letters were handwritten, music was played on a gramophone and men wore suits, all the time....

Ok so, there is also the dark backdrop of conflicts and fighting in China, death from cholera, a loveless marriage and virtues lost...... But, Mmmm......Look at that embroidered hem, and those ivory Mary-Jane shoes......

New Fabric collection 'LOVE' from Amy Butler . Ooohh......Ahhhh...... 'LOVE'ly...! So gorgeous and colourful. Inspiring me to get making that quilt I keep dreaming about.  Ahhh... Homemade quilts.....

Tim Tams. It's taken me a while to catch on to the Tim Tam Appreciation Society but now I have, there's no stopping me. I recently discovered the Black Forest and white chocolate varieties...Mmmmm.....They're supposed to be eaten by the packet, right??

3rd Column. Finally working out how to add an extra 3rd column on this blog! Don't know why I was so keen to have one but I was, there you go. It's so confusing though! In fact HTML can just jolly well take itself off to the naughty step of the Not List, go on, off you go......

Not

Shop closing times. Far too early over here for my liking! I'm used to shops that stay open quite late and especially supermarkets, they generally stay open 24 hours! But not here. On saturday we were too late to get into the two big named supermarkets over at the huge shopping mall in Robina (which was also closing), at 5.30pm!!! What's that about??? So not hot!

Channel 7. For spoiling my fun with 'Flash Forward'. First it was on wednesday nights and then they moved it without warning to monday night! So I have missed a few! Also it is always on at least 10 minutes late, so the few times we have recorded it we miss the last 10 minutes as it cuts off!!! Grrrrr!

Not big, not clever and certainly Not Hot!

Jets. Fighter jets (F1-11's apparently) have been flying over, very low and swooping for the SuperGP ( and that's not a super hero doctor but the car race that happens in Surfers Paradise!) and although, yes, it is actually a bit exciting....Do they have to fly so low and close to us? The sound is incredible and scares Ella out of her skin, bless her!

To be fair, I think that it all may have been just a one trick wonder for the weekend, so the jets can (quietly) sonic boom themselves off to the Hot list, as actually, they were pretty awesome!

☺ What's Hot & ☹ What's Not!

Hot...
A little time spent on a seating plan goes a long way....Sitting two single friends, who had never met before, together at our wedding almost two years ago and now they have just set the date for their own wedding....Altogether now....Awwww! ♥

Definitely, Maybe...A surprisingly lovely film watched the other evening. Starring the delectable Ryan Reynolds (also add to Hot list, not because of his boyish good looks and toned tum but because I seem to love every film I see him in!! Strike that! Put Wolverine into Not list...Oh, RR what were you thinking??!)

Babushka Measuring Cups...Oh so cute, so quirky, so I must have them!!...
Ooohh...This great shop/blog here sells them!

Stamp Collecting.....Not really!...But I'm loving these 60's British Design Classics from the Royal Mail.
I spotted them in Inside Out last month and really loved their idea for framing them! I think several sheets together look almost like wallpaper, the repetitive retro pattern works really well and would look great in a white frame. Ironic really as Royal Mail are striking back in Blighty at the moment...Naughty!... Go to the Not list!



Not
Ironing...Still have a mountain to climb...Bah Humbug! (cut and paste this line for every week...!)

Screaming....Ella has discovered screaming and lets out a blood-curdling piercing scream reminiscent of Hammer house of Horror movies. Not because she is unhappy or distressed, no it's just because she can!!!
Please be quiet...my ears and bleeding......boo hoo......

Keeping in Touch... I seem incapable of keeping in touch with anyone back home. I still can't get used to the time difference and can never time it right to call!
Everytime I get a moment to call I have to stop myself as I suddenly realise it's some ridiculous hour in the night for them!! Sorry Mum......


See more at Loobylu

☺ What's Hot.....& ☹ What's Not!!!

Love taking part in this link from Loobylu ......
A little late, and short and sweet but here it is.....

Hot...

Having 10 mins to type this while someone naps (in an otherwise non-napping day) although it's now dinnertime...doh!

Eating leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches and pecan pie on the boardwalk in the blustery wind watching the surfers.

'Little Einsteins' on Playhouse Disney.....You've got to admire a preschool programme that can successfully mix cute cartoon capers with the works of M.C Esher and Georges Bizet!!!

'Mastering the Art of French Cooking' by Julia Child....All of the recipes (except maybe the Aspic chapter..) sound sooo lovely and are wonderfully written and seem really easy to follow (perhaps I should wait to comment on that until after this weekend......!!)

Hair grips from Mimco. Love the sparkly swan!          

Only 6 weeks until return to Blighty!

Not...

Finding half chewed baby rice cakes stuck to almost everything....the carpet...the pram lining...my clothes...!

Ironing....! Why does the miserable mountain of ironing get bigger and bigger by the day and why hasn't anybody turned up to do it for me?????!!! Everyday I have aspirations to sort it out and everyday there is something far more interesting to do! Sigh....Perhaps today........

Facebook quizzes and ridiculous applications! Whenever I look on facebook I am bombarded with quizzes about this that and the other....... What kind of carpet are you?....Which 'High School Musical' character are you?......Name the Milkshake?......Not to mention Farmville... Fishworld...Blah blah blah....! Grrrrrr....So annoying!

Going to bed far too late (because there is so much I want to do in Me time!!) and being woken up far too early with a hair pull and a kick in the back (that's the baba not Mr H!!!).

Only 6 weeks until return to Blighty!