OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS!

Two parcels from overseas in one week.

Just look at these gorgeous works of art from Karen at Bluemuf and Catie at Catien & Co.

It is sooooooooooo exciting getting parcels from afar, and the fun of opening them - I always feel like a small child again, the anticipation and everything that goes with receiving mail.

The first to arrive was from dear Karen at Bluemuf -just look at the lovely stickers on the envelope!

....And the oh so tasteful card that was inside -clever Karen!

And finally the most delightful dress that Karen made for me. On beautiful crisp white card, with red cord, sparkly stones and petite beads, this is truly gorgeous and I just love it.

Thank you dear Karen.

A few days later another parcel arrived, this time from Catie at Catien & Co - if you pop over to Rachael's latest posting at The Rose Room you can see more of what was inside.

Catie so generously sent a selection of fantastic goodies for us to play with, plus this awesome gown!!,

Beautifully crafted on Vintage wall paper, and laden with the most gorgeous JEWELS, all complimenting the colour of the paper that Catie used.

Thank you Catie, this is truly amazing

Receiving such lovely dresses has more than compensated for my awful week, brought on entirely by myself.

I very foolishly put my name down at a huge local Hardware Warehouse for casual work counting items for their stock take.

mmmm!! My poor back, hands, in fact every limb is still aching from crouching down, bending and trying to be enthusiastic as I counted and bagged Coach Bolts, Washers, Screws, Nails, Sandpaper used for grinders etc-

I can hardly believe that there are hundreds of varieties of items for the building industry, and to add insult the hourly rate was pathetic.

A huge learning curve maybe, but not one I will be in a hurry to repeat.

NOT TWO BUT THREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How spoilt am I?

Yesterday was so, so special, as all sorts of lovely things happened.

Thursday was my last day in Christchurch with my very, very best friend.

I was so, so busy on her computer at lunchtime, and still in my nightie and dressing gown (naughty)

Lin summoned me to the lunch that she prepared......................

Look at this!!

Fresh oysters, Fresh mussells, Japanese seaweed salad, all this with a loaf of crusty bread and a bottle of Chardonnay, yum, yum

I flew back to Auckland later that evening, and when I got home, awaiting me was this parcel from `Dear Shannan' at PaintMine Pink........... soooooooooooo exciting.

Rachael instructed Babes to carry my suitcase upstairs, so I could unpack my camera!!

As I unwrapped the parcel, lots and lots of sparkly `love hearts emerged!! what fun.Yeeh, look at this, gorgeous pink ribbon and tissue, can you see the beautiful `tag' that Shannan made??

To reveal, not two, but three amazing dresses.
Number 1 is the Autumn Dress - edged with pearls -isn't it just fantastic?
Number 2 is a Halloween Ballgown- just look at the stunning detail!!!!!!!!!!
Number 3 is Pretty In Pink - so Shannan , beautiful rose and pink theme*
I just love them all.
Thank you dear Shannan from Australia
This was so terribly exciting as it was my first SWAP!
It is now back to reality, I have my Xmas swap all ready to post.
I came home with all sorts of `crafty ideas' watch this space!

Wrought Iron Progress

Yeeeeeeeeeeh!!!!

Shannan from across the Tasman Sea at Paint Mine Pink has received my paper dress swaps

Check out her amazing Blog site and her awesome Etsy, she has the most beautiful things for sale, and of course all hand made!!!

As promised, an up-date on my foray into sanding, undercoating and painting and making the seat covers for old (JUNK) wrought iron, well, that is what I first thought, when Rachael instructed me of her requirements.

I am so glad I didn't throw out the `old painting clothes' from when we painted The Rose Room

Who would believe the finished result?????????????
The one is painted white, with a pretty blue patterned seat cover.

............... and the cream one with a green patterned seat cover

BUT WAIT, there's more, this is this afternoon's effort!!!!!!!!!!!!! secretly I have quite enjoyed restoring these, which is good, because in the garage there is more pieces (still no room for the car)

Rachael is going to hang her Halloween Tussy Mussies for The Rose Room's window display.

I am off to Christchurch tomorrow, to have some special time with an old School Friend, we started school together when we were five and have remained best friends ever since.

Be back on Thursday

Paper swaps

SWAPS - I am so proud of these, especially as this is my first SWAP ever and to give a sneak preview of what I sent to Shannon - I do hope she likes them. I was sorry when I had finished them as I wanted to do more:):)

It is a wet afternoon, hence me playing on my Blog, I should be ironing or making a pie for dinner, or changing out of my ghastly painting clothes.
I am covered in paint, as one of my Retirement projects was to `jazz' up the many pieces of old wrought iron that Rachael has, she makes me nervous as I like to sand and undercoat first, but she is more relaxed about preparation than me ( I am of the OLD SCHOOL) and I sense her disapproval as I am sure the projects would be long finished, but..............................! to quote my mother and Rachael's Granny, `if a job is worth doing, then it is worth doing well', so I go with that.
The Land Agent phoned me this morning, yes..............the Apartment is mine on the 2nd November -yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!

Rachael's Birthday and Stuff

Post Birthday Lunch
Rachael, Stella and Gail

Rachael and I, also taken today on a gorgeous sunny day in Auckland, yes that is glasses of `Bubbly', but spot the water jug as well.

Where has the time gone? it is over two weeks since I last wrote a `post'

I seem to be incredibly busy, something that i didn't anticipate retired life would be, however lots of fun.

The big news in my life, is I have purchased an apartment, very close to the family, it is sooooooooo cute, and now i am panicing that I won't fit everything into it, but it will be nice to be reunited with my possesions as they have been in Storrage since early August!!

Yesterday was Rachael's (Roseroom) birthday, I minded the shop so she could have a sleep in.

Last night we had a lovely platters of food outside, several of her special friends came to celebrate, and that was so exciting, as there was Sonja from Melbourne, Kirtsy from Te Awamatu and Gail from Hamilton, the `girls' all stayed, so a true sleep over -Poor Babes was dispatched to Hamilton for the night, Stella was also here and such a good girl for Mummy's birthday.

I feel very happy as I finally posted my paper doll swap to Shannon at PaintMinePink, I do hope she likes them, I did have such fun making them for her.

My Christmas Swaps are also completed and as soon as Rachael finishes hers, they too will be winging their way.