Scones & Jam

I am loving my new flexible working hours and I am trying hard to embrace being around the house during the day, so when hubby mentioned he really likes scones I thought I would make him some for morning tea.

Unfortunately past my experience with scones (think year 7 home ec class) always makes me think of rocks.

Despite my reservations I whipped out my old recipe (LOL, no not really I googled) and pre-heated the oven.

Apart from morning tea being at 11.45am the scones were not too bad. I still need more practise but I am sure hubby won't mind being my taste tester until I get it right.

Watch out CWA here I come :-)

Did you notice the homemade jam?

My lovely Aunt gave me three jars and the colour was so fabulous I couldn't resist snapping some pics.

I think the jam even made my scones look pretty good.

xx

PS. I am actually tossing up the idea of joining the CWA is anyone esle a member?

Vintage Suitcases

What are your thoughts on vintage suitcases?

Do you like them, loathe them, have some yourself?

I have been on the lookout for some for ages, they had to be the right size, colour and most important...

....the right price.

Then when I was least expecting it, there they were

and best of all they were free!

Aren't family wonderful?

Especially when they give you great stuff and expect nothing in return.

Vintage suitcases are so versatile, they are great for extra storage, they double up as a side table and  I think they look fabulous.

I have used my suitcases to store the spare linen for our room, the guest room and the sofa bed.

I love them,

the colours are perfect and they have so much character.

I'm having fun this week taking photos for my store. It is very time consuming though and my photography skills are quite lacking, seems that I may have to spend some time learning how to use the camera properly. Hubby does have heaps of mags for me to learn from but if you have any suggestions for great 'how to' photography blogs or online tutorials please let me know.

xx

Beloved Blogs

Happy Friday Everyone

My first week working for myself has been fantastic, I am a great boss and let myself work flexibly and as part of my job I get to research (translates to reading blogs), I love my research role and I have discovered some fabulous new blogs that I would love to share with you.

But not only am I going to tell you all about them but I would love to pass on an award to them all.

(Liebster (german) translates to darling, beloved, boyfriend, sweetheart, I'm going with beloved)

A huge THANK YOU to the lovely Cas from Peaches and Maples who awarded me with the Liebster Award a little while ago. Cas has the most gorgeous blog and a lovely house that is full of pretties.

Cas' lovely lounge room

If you haven't met Cas please pop on over and say hello, she is great fun and it is definately worth a sticky beak at her home.

The rules for the  Liebster award are as follows:

1. Choose FIVE up and coming blogs to pass this award on

to. They must have less than 200 followers.

2. Show a big thanks to the blogger who gave you the award

by linking back to them.3. Post the award on your blog. List the bloggers you are

giving the award to with links to their sites. 

My lovely new friends who I want to pass this award onto are:

Michelle from Home, Love and Life as I live it

Some of Michelle's lovely decor items

Libby from K A T capers

Libby's fabulous header

Mandy from The Old Dairy

The Old Dairy

Roberta from Rowentree Design

Some items from Roberta's lovely online shop

Kerry from French & Sparrow

Kerry's lovely homemade soap

Madonna from Two Beaches and a Lake

Madonna's new house

I know that I have listed six but I couldn't leave one out as I have really enjoyed discovering them all and I would love to share theses great Aussie blogs with you all.

Ladies if you would like to play on please do but don't feel that you have to. I know that some of you have already received this award but I just wantd to let you know how much I have enjoyed meeting you.

Hope you all have a great weekend

xx

French Market Baskets

I am so excited,

all the stock I am ordering is starting to arrive and it is feeling more real every day

I just adore these French Market Baskets perfect for taking to the Farmers Markets on Saturday morning or for a quick trip to the grocery store.

Do you have local Farmers Markets? Ours are held once a month and we love popping in to have breakfast or coffee there as well as to buying some yummy treats for home.

The baskets are hand crafted in Morocco from natural palm fibre with strong Moroccan leather handles, choosing one to keep for myself is proving to be difficult, I am not sure what style to have as I like them all.

I am not sure that hubby is as excited as I am though, our lounge room looks a little messy and the TV is almost hidden ;-) 

Today I am taking photos, sorting and storing all of these goodies in a safe place out of the way.

Thank you for all of your supporting and encouraging comments on my last post. It is so lovely to read them and have them to look back on when my insecurities surface and I start to wonder what I am doing!!!

xx

McCarthy Designs & Occasions

It's official,

I am now self employed.

It is all a little scary,

I guess the unknown always is.

I will be launching my online store on the 2nd April.

There is still so much to do

but it is all very exciting.



I have been busy finding suppliers and ordering in stock.

My new office is a little cramped

but I do have lots natural light and a window that opens.

Fortunately I am very flexible and I can easily relocate my workstation to sit out in the sunshine.

What bliss!

Apart from selling pretty things I am also available to help out with interior and event styling

Thanks to some wonderful friends I am already busy helping with the decor and styling of their houses, some parties and a wedding.

It is all so much fun and I love to help ease the stress that comes when you are organising a big event, renovating or moving house.

Thank you for joining me on my journey and for all of the support and feed back that you have all given me over the last few years.

The encouragement and friendship that I have received from my blog, and the inspiration that I get from reading about your journeys and lives has played a huge part in me being able to go out on my own and do something that I love.

xx

Office Spaces

Only two days to go and I will be self employed (sounds much better than unemployed)

My mind has been quite focused on starting my own business and creating a space for that at home, so when I saw the gorgeous office of Amanda Nisbett (featured in this months Lonny magazine) I couldn't help but share.

Isn't it just lovely, nothing like my current work space.

By tomorrow afternoon this work station will  be devoid of any personal belongings and there will be no trace left of me.

It is a little sad:-(

But also very exciting.

I am most looking forward to throwing away all of the training manuals and the folders of very boring procedural guides.

This is will be my way of finalising it......

my career in banking is over (for now anyway).

When you have left one job to start another (or to not start another) what did you do for "closure" ?

xx

Rain in Noosa

We are so fortunate that we are not affected by flooding where we live but I am so sick of the wet weather.

We don't live in a hot climate to start with.

In Orange we are lucky to need the air conditioning for two weeks of the year but not even that this year.

In January we tried to escape to warmer parts and chose to spend a week in Noosa QLD.

It rained

The whole week

Every day

Everything was damp

It didn't stop us from swimming in the pool

or using the spa

but swimming at the beach wasn't appealing

Coral Beach Resort Noosa was nice though

very family orientated and the apartments were lovely.

We even played tennis in the rain

Anyone else sick of the wet weather?

Enjoy your week.

xx