Friday, July 29, 2011

Free Sunshine!

good morning sunshine!
{that's you!}

yesterday 'lovestitch'
bestowed upon me a

sunshine award...thankyou!



{by the way..'lovestitch' has a fabulous crochet blog..
she is extremely talented}

i have decided to break the rules
'cos i want you to take this award
if you feel you have a sunshiney blog!

just comment below that you are taking it if you feel you want it..
and the first 10 people to take it and comment can have it.

if you don't want to take the award
feel free to comment anyway.

i have decided to pass it on this way
'cos quite a few don't like awards
and quite a few get all the awards
and some people who should have one never get one
and
i often forget people who i should award
'cos they deserve it.

so be honest.

if you want it
and feel that your blog is somewhat sunshiney
and inspirational

take it..it's free to the first ten who want it!

a few things i love...

warm sunshine
georgeous flowers
gentle rain
smiles
dogs
my family & friends
God
very frothy cappuccinos
banana bread
kind strangers

i mean it ..be bold and take it...you deserve it!

take your own destiny into your hands this friday...
and have a fabulous weekend too.


naturally Carol xox


ps...you know..in life there is no room for false modesty...when something is offered, and many things are offered freely in this life..don't stand back..but grab them with both hands and make them your own..just don't forget to pass the blessings on..because it is true..freely you receive so freely give!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Almost Orla...

hi there!

it always amazes me that
you can go for days and months
with very little change in your life
then...

one day
and there it is
a significant day of change.

today is a significant day in this household.

sharrie got a visa so she can work and get medical attention in australia.

i contacted my first born's in laws to be..and arranged a date to meet them with mr w.

and there are a couple of less significant events
just making themselves known today
and yet have to work themselves out.

change upon change
life works it's changes in and around us.

 it has been time for a little bit of creativity as well..
two cushions.


i have nicknamed these
as my 'almost orla's'
'cos this fabric is a variation on
orla kiely's signature leafy vine type design.


this is the back of the 45cm cushion..
{the larger cushion}

and


this is the back of the smaller cushion
{40 cm or 16"}

i got an award too, today...
i'll tell you about it tomorrow and
pass it on.

i'm joining up with some creative friends

on this conspicuous thursday!


naturally Carol xox


p.s..these two are in my 'madeit' shop too!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Chatting About Chatz...

good morning!

the other day...sunday to be precise,
before cadel evans won the tour de france
and mixed up my blogging intentions for yesterday,
i told you i was going to show you more of my pics
i took of chatz cafe.

bright and early on tuesdays
i get along to an early morning prayer meeting
which just sets the day off right.

 this is where i was at 9.30 am
this morning
drinking the first coffee of the day
and
enjoying a vanilla slice for brekky..mmm!


table no 24

peacefully and quietly
the day begins...


table 23...

the cafe is open to everybody on weekdays

and on sundays
it's open after each service...
a peaceful place to enjoy a chat & a cuppa!



there are three cafes in town
that i like the best...

chatz has the best views
has the best magazines to browse through
with great cappucinos...
made by marie, michael and kim...


'emelia's' in town
has delicious cappucinos too..organic and fairtrade...
in little coffee cups,
made by giovanni...
and amazing italian hot chocolates
and paninis for lunch...


&
'gloria jeans'
at the shopping centre
has cappucinos with extra froth...
made by andy...
and thick slices of warm banana bread that are divine.

do you have a favourite cafe or three
in your neck of the woods?

mmm...now which one shall i go to tomorrow?
...i'm just supporting my local businesses you know..hehe!


tuesdays..any days..a good day for a visit to your favourite cafe...


naturally Carol xox


Monday, July 25, 2011

Sunshiney Yellow Happiness All The Way!

good afternoon..

i just had to pop this one in the post...

yay!

cadel evans
won
 the 'tour de france'
 2011

a winning smile...


thumbs up for the winning ride...



all that sunshiney yellow happiness
for the winner!


congratulations cadel!


&
thanks to cate @ 'keep cate busy' for
her inspiring use of the term 'sunshiney yellow'
on her blogpost yesterday...

i really do think that happiness
is always
'sunshiney yellow'!

wishing you all a 'sunshiney yellow' day of happiness today!


naturally Carol xox

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Grateful for...

ownership!

hi...
let me explain myself,
{after i lock kara up for being loud and barking madly in the back yard!}

well, that's done.
so...

this morning, being sunday and all
i went to church.
i normally go to the early {8.30 am} service,
just 'cos i love being up early in the morning
and it's so pretty there.

well it's so pretty there that i've wanted to take some pics for a while,
just to show you all the beautiful country views...


a view of the dam from chatz cafe at 8.20am this morning...




the mist in the trees just above the dam...


the cafe is built on to the side of the church hall,
which is right next to the school.
this row of trees is on the side of the playing fields
next to the dam...



i just love a good row of trees
&
this is a good row of trees!



after i took the photos of the trees and the dam
i took this walking up the hill to the cafe again.

the rest of the cafe pics i'll show you tomorrow.

now you're probably wondering why i said i was grateful for 'ownership'.

when i first got to church
before the photo taking,
i thought i'd better ask permission
so i sought out pastor george
to ask him.

when i asked him
he said
'carol, you belong here..
so it's your church,
you don't have to ask!'

i said i kinda knew that
but wanted to make sure it was ok...
but you know
it's a good feeling to belong
and to be accepted
and be secure with a group of people.

have you a group of people
around that believe what you believe
and make you feel warm and secure
and looked after and comfortable...
in a place you all 'own' together
and are responsible for the well being of each other?

i really, really hope so!

i'm going to show you more of the cafe tomorrow
'cos it's where i love to have coffee
especially on tuesdays after the early morning prayer meeting
when it's even earlier than today
and the frost still sparkles like a million diamonds
on the oval outside
and the mist is still in the trees and in the distant hills.

i just want to say...
my heart goes out to the norwegian people today

 
over the tragedy of so many lives lost yesterday.
we grieve with you.


naturally Carol xox


 
i'm linking up with  'babymac's' today.


Friday, July 22, 2011

Retro Genius...

hi...

i have just spent pretty much
the last 24 hours
catching up with the world
of
'madmen'...

season 4 this time!

the world
has probably seen this
but
isn't it great
that it doesn't matter if everybody else has seen something..
it's your pleasure
if you're the one seeing something for the first time!

here are just a few images
that for me
were just so sixties...


'peggy'

...iconic '60s hat and coat
...and hairdo


'betty'

a summertime look...
love the white sunnies,
sleeveless blouse with collar
and that car.


'don'

...the venitian blinds..windows full of them
...black telephones..no mobiles
...skinny ties, white shirts and dark suits
...short back and sides haircuts
in his manhattan office.



'don'

...outside in the summertime
...check out the pram!



don, joan & roger

...little red dress
...big red hair
...plenty of iceberg lettuce



'don & megan'

...he's engaged

for how long?

i just loved watching episode after episode,
thirteen in all
one after another
getting truly immersed in the lives of these
manhatten advertising people
&
their fashions...
homes
&
offices.

i feel as though i've been visiting a different place,
on holiday for the last day!

i hope your weekend is like a mini holiday for you...
it does you a world of good
to getaway.

i loved manhatten in the sixties..
just for a visit mind you!

naturally Carol xox









Thursday, July 21, 2011

Modern Retro...

good afternoon!

i'm joining up at

with a modern retro cushion i've made today...

in my creative space.





olive, lime, burnt orange, crimson, white and pale grey...

exploding like fireworks on the pale aqua background!



white bobbles...




a black grossgrain tag with embroidered daisies...
as i learned recently
'daisy' means 'eye of the day'!



white buttons on red...
the back.

i love the geometry of this cushion
with it's explosive mix of colour
and crisp symmetrical form...

ordered and chaotic.

i'm looking forward to row upon row of handmade creative goodness
now as i go and wend my way through
everybody's creative spaces.


i've got 'madmen series 4' waiting for my undivided attention later,
fellow bloggers to enjoy now
and  i soaked in a few rays while having a cuppa with a friend earlier
on this truly terrific thursday!


i hope you're doing something truly terrific today too...



naturally Carol xox


ps...available in my 'madeit' store..button right hand side...




Wednesday, July 20, 2011

A Windy Wednesday...

hi!

today has been windy and cold.


{golden jacaranda leaves}

the morning tea
i was supposed to go to today
 was postponed 'til tomorrow
so today
became movie day.
{yesterday was $1 movie rental day!}



{wires, jacaranda and blue sky}

my favourite movie, out of three,
was 'sarah's key'.
a story set in france in 1942
and a modern investigative journalist
who finds out the story
behind her husbands family apartment
in paris.


{max}


if you enjoy history
and a mystery
you'll love it.


{ellie..just a black shadow}

the language alternates between spoken french and english..
subtitles appear when the french is spoken.



{the street where i live}


just a lovely, slow, cosy, winter wednesday!



{spanish moss}

i just nipped out on the front steps
with the camera
to give you a glimpse of my world today.



naturally Carol xox

Monday, July 18, 2011

A Summer Swinging Quartet!

good afternoon...

i thought i was going to have a quiet restful day yesterday
but how wrong can you be!

unexpectedly
a family came over after church
with two little babies,
one their own...
master j was nine months old
and
miss j was borrowed
and nearly a year old.

in a house full of adults
the dogs freaked out
and had to be hidden..
'cos after they freaked
the kids did too!

we fed and entertained them
with bowls of cereal..porridge for one, weetbix for the other..
then the best baby toys were brought out..
a pink whisk, a little plastic drainer basket, a scraper
&
a plastic tape measure.

it doesn't take long to forget
how tiring babies make you
when yours have all grown up...

today i'm in recovery.

kudos to all mums and grandmas out there!

i've just managed to squeeze in a bit of sewing
and complete the quartet of summery swinging cushions...




this time i've made them all the same size
so they can sit in a row and look neat.





i have made sure
that none of them are like the other set of three
i made from this fabric..
so they are still totally unique.




'rosey'


the newest one...



sitting fresh and pretty
with her white buttoned
and red contrasting back.

if you're at home with your babies today
i take my proverbial hat off to you...
i've rediscovered
that it's hard yakka!


naturally Carol xox


ps..all available in my 'madeit' store..button link top right hand side of this page!

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Showing My Gratitude For...

other people's inspiring ideas!



good morning.




these were this morning's efforts so far!

who pom bombed her bare winter tree
in her front yard
with colourful pompoms...

superb!


a couple of months ago
i was truly inspired by dorien's home town
whose knitters made
little caps and scarves for their town bridge...
wrapping up all the little posts on the bridge
so they wouldn't get cold..hehe..

dorien also makes the best bicycle skirts..
they have to be seen to be believed!

superb!


just now
i was reading lisbeth's blog
{lisbeth @ lisbethsinlilleverden}
&
she told me how she
has put a vintage typewriter on a little table
with pretty paper in it
&
all her visitors
write her pretty little notes...
which she will keep in
a pretty folder
forever!


superb!

don't you get encouraged
&
inspired
by other bloggers?

i do

&

i am grateful

for

you!


wanna be inspired by other bloggers today?

see you there!


naturally Carol xox

Friday, July 15, 2011

Little Leafy Wreaths!

good morning...
on this stormy winter's morning.

actually i just love moody weather
when the skies are grey and rain is pending
and the wind is starting to whip up
and even the birds stop chirping!

so dramatic.

the days i find hard to get through
are the ones that i call 'white days'...
still and foggy
silent and cold.

you know what else i hate?

finding out that the finale of the season of
'desperate housewives'
was put on tv an hour earlier..

it normally starts at 9.30 pm..which
i dutifully turned to
and found to my distress
that i
was the 'desperate housewife' who was an hour late!!!

and it was very nearly all over
&
i only caught the last ten minutes.

now i'm going to have to spend another hour i haven't put aside
and watch it knowing the ending...grrrrrrowl!

on a lighter note...

another 'england swings' got constructed yesterday,

featuring little leafy wreaths....



bobbles

&

polka dots!



&

red buttons...

is that too much??



one more to go!


have a crazy good weekend...
i hope you catch your favourite tv shows!


what tv shows can't you do without?
{in other words are you a bit desperate like me..or not as the case may be!}


naturally Carol xox


p.s..these three are available on www.madeit.com.au/NaturallyCarol

Thursday, July 14, 2011

My Creative Space...

good morning!

while you're munching on your morning tea...

or maybe catching a late night snack,

just thought i'd brighten up your day

with a little more of 'england swings'...


i have no more of these two fabrics..
so their won't be any more..at least for a while,



that's the beauty of handmade...

no two are exactly the same.



but i do have a couple more to go
in this series!




last night
we got back to basics.

it seems like ages
since we had snags and steamed veges

{sausages..beef, pork and plum = snags}
{mashed pumpkin with steamed zucchini, carrots & broccoli = veges}

then i made
homemade custard
+
stewed apples
=
for dessert



i deliberately made extra apples
so i could have them with my porridge this morning..mmm!



that chased those winter blues away!

i'm linkin' up with 'kootoyoo'

why don't you come along
and see what everybody's been up too?


p.s...what did you have for dinner last night?


naturally Carol xox



Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Caz..I Haven't Counted My Cushions!

hi there!

i'm putting together another set of 'england swings'..
i'll be busy with these for the next few days.



this one's bigger this time

&

has white bobbles!


hopefully

i'll show you more tomorrow...

until then

it's a good day


for jelly bellys!

my favorite jelly belly
is
coconut + pineapple = pinacolada
&
i love
black
{licorice}

what are your favourites?

what don't you like?
{the dark green ones
whatever they are???}


hoping you warming up this wednesday!


naturally Carol xox


p.s..dear Caz..i still can't get through to comment on your blog..that one time i think i tricked the system..it was a fluke! i haven't counted my cushions but it is an interesting thought and i think i will..just not today.