Hello there! Happy Spring! I have let things slip here much to my distress. I’ve been working like a crazy person, suffering one toddler bug after another and just generally struggling to keep on top of everything. But here I am, back where I belong!

This month I have taken on the $99 Thrift Challenge being run by Apron Thrift Girl. I must say it’s already day 6 and although I have bought a few bits and bobs I haven’t really struck gold yet. I hope to have better luck as the month wears on so stay tuned. Any excuse to do a bit of second hand shopping!

I did find this photo in one of my favourite haunts on Monday. I was on my way home from a handover meeting after pulling an all-nighter and I felt like I deserved a little reward (I am way too old to be working through the night anymore! Erghh!). Flipping through boxes of old postcards and photos this image just stood out amongst the awkward poses and stiff expressions. It’s so candid and natural. Quite an unusual composition for it’s time. Unfortunately it’s unmarked. I wonder if someone clever could date it by the style of sewing machine? I am not sure what that thing is in the foreground on the right. Any guesses?

It was lovely to come back from holidays last month and find so many lovely postcards waiting in my mailbox. They were all so different. Lots of inspiration and varied techniques! Click to view: nikki-shell {postcard:blog}, pyglet whispers {postcard:blog}, Tiny Happy {postcard:blog}, Natasha Fialkov {postcard:blog}, MissyMuh {postcard:blog}, Applehead {postcard:blog}, Tiff Fendick {postcard}, Phantomcrimes {postcard:blog}, Maggie Grace Creates {postcard:blog}, Annette Sheaffer {postcard}, Natalie Willis {postcard}. You can also see more —->here

Featured Gem 8
Real Photo Postcard

‘Joyce as a Fairy’

Date: Unspecified
People: Joyce
Studio: Broothorn Studio, Melbourne (active in Australia 1900s –1940s)
Postcard Back: “Joyce as a Fairy, at Mrs Fred Fairbairn’s Ball”

While Eloise was busy refusing to nap for the first time in weeks, I decided to do something I have been wanting to do forever…make Lemon Butter (Lemon Curd). I was inspired after reading this entry on Melissa’s lovely blog Tiny Happy. I used a mix of lemons and limes and it turned out to be pretty delicious for a first attempt! By the time I had finished I took a peek around the corner into the loungeroom and this is what I found…

Ha! There’s a first time for everything. Even the blanket is her own doing! I just KNEW she was tired!

I’m home from a lovely but waaayyy too short holiday visiting my folks in New South Wales. Rohan had a conference in Canberra, so after spending a couple of days there, Eloise and I tootled three hours up the highway to the Blue Mountains. It was wonderful to catch up with family and see Eloise run around in the house where I grew up. Although it’s still another month until Spring, the trees had started to blossom and the wattle was abundant with fluffy flowers (sorry Dad, couldn’t resist!).

In Canberra I caught up with my childhood friend, Narelle. She cooked us the most delicious dinner and Ellie got up to mischief running around the house with her boys. We’ve been in and out of contact over the years and have both moved interstate so it was wonderful to catch up and still feel so familiar and comfortable like no time had passed. To me those are good friendships. It’s such a shame we live so far away! Narelle does the most gorgeous floral designs. Have a peek at her website Brave Botanics.

While in Canberra I discovered a shop called Pepe’s Paperie and it was stocked with the most stunning selection of notepaper and accessories. I bought a couple of small boxes of tiny fancy paper clips packaged in small drawstring bags by le the des ecrivains. I also bought some stunning file folders by Cavallini & Co and was sooooo very tempted to get Eloise a set of these flash cards. I had to work hard to convince myself that she didn’t need to know ‘W’ was for wig-wam just yet. I also couldn’t resist a couple of gift boxes by Hipp…just because they were so pretty.

There were goodies in my letterbox upon my return including this lovely card from the talented Gwen at bugheart.

Apologies things have been so quiet! I have lots of posts ready to whirl once I get my act together (and my photos!). I have postcard swap thank-you’s to do and I owe a lot of emails. If you have emailed or commented lately hang in there, I will reply. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your feedback!

Erghh! Lightening! It’s been raining on and off constantly since I got back. (Not the best light here for photography!) I’d better press ‘publish’ and turn off the computer…just in case…

Featured Gem 7
Real Photo Postcard

‘Stick’em Up’

Date: Unspecified
People: Unidentified
Postcard Back: Blank

Notes: While I don’t really like guns at all (or even condone littlies playing with toy guns!), I think this photograph is brilliant despite it’s poor print quality.

The expression on the little girls face and her body language is so perfect. She’s the one that means business even if her gun is upside down! Her big brother(?) looks far less threatening.

This image is just begging for a dialogue. If you listen carefully you can hear them…