Thank you Louise!

I received a birthday package today from my lovely blog friend Louise from Ramblings of a Roachling.
I feel so spoilt and must admit to jumping around trying not to squeal when opened it up to find packages wrapped this gorgeous owl paper.

Is it o.k. for a 49 year old to squeal and jump? 

Louise knows how much I love owls and she sent me this gorgeous bag/tote with oh so cute owls printed on it.

And from a a Fair Trade Company which makes me VERY, VERY HAPPY.

I love these two little owls.  One is an ornament and the other a key ring.  How cute are they?!  A green and white polka dot body and a floral tummy.  I do believe Louise can read my mind.

Owl ornament is now making friends with a duck and puppy on the window sill at the kitchen sink, so every time I do the dishes I can look at him.

Louise also sent this fridge magnet with a truly wonderful saying.

It's now on my fridge door to remind me of important things.

I am absolutely thrilled Louise sent me this book so I can learn more about the beautiful part of the world she lives in.  Hubby and I did pass through the area briefly one day over 20 years ago, but it was misty, foggy and raining and we couldn't see a thing.  We are hoping to see it on a fine day in the future.

Louise and I share of love of wildlife and nature and I now have these wonderful wildlife programmes Louise has sent me to look at and I can't wait to get started.  I love the bird foot prints and tree borders on the labels, such a lovely touch.

I've saved showing you the card 'til last because it is exquisite.

Beautiful silver sparkly swirls, flourishes diamantes and a gorgeous bird.

Thank you so much Louise for making my birthday special.  Your gifts and card are wonderful and it means so much to me that you spent the time looking for things that you knew I would love.
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The next time you want to be taken on an adventure walking trails, rambling over rocks and fields, perhaps even encountering some wildlife, or even rolling down a hill, head on over to  Louise from Ramblings of a Roachling.

Bye for now,

Anne  xx

Photo scavenger hunt - March

Here are my entries for the Photo scavenger hunt - March, 2011.

1.  Peeling paint

Tired old boat at Cannons Creek, Mornington Peninsula

2.  A shadow

My shadow in the early morning Western Australian sun.  Photo taken on my parents farm January, 2011.

3.  Something as old as me.

My teddy bear Leanne.

4.  A ring

This is the ring my gorgeous hubby gave me on our 20th Wedding Anniversary.  It is yellow gold and has 20 diamonds, one for each year of marriage.  Isn't he a sweetie.  Sorry the photo is so blurry, I just can't take good close up photos on my camera.

5.  A rainbow

This was taken from our backyard late last winter.  If you look close you can actually see there are three rainbows.  The main one is a double and above that is another very faint one.


6.  A lamb

Pet lambs on my brothers farm in Western Australia.  Photo taken July, 2010.

7.  A lion

In the middle of Berwick township, Victoria.



8.  Fancy gate

Rear gate entry to a local organic cafe/resturant. 
This was my hardest photo to find as fancy gates are few and far between where I live.  This building is the most historic in my local area.

9.  A collection

Some of my collection of owls.

10.  Something sentimental

My Granny's rose gold Rolex watch which was a wedding gift to her from my Grandfather.  They were married in the 1920's so it is quite old.  I use to wear it on a regular basis but some of the links have worn away.  It still keeps very good time.

11.  An empty chair

Cannons Creek, Mornington Peninsula.  I'm taking a bit of photographic liscence here.  I just loved this picnic table and seats all over grown with native habitat.

12.  Something green

A lady in a green canoe at Cannons Creek.  Thank you to this generous lady who was happy to have her photo taken.

Looking forward to Aprils list.

Anne  xx

Christmas owls

While out doing my last bit of Christmas shopping during the week, I saw some little owls sitting in a bowl in one of the shops I went into.  They weren't for Christmas decorations but they inspired me to make something similar to put on our tree.

They're a little bit quirky, but that's what I love.

Anne

One little bird and some lovely finds

Yesterday I sat down and decided to make a bird.  Yes a bird.  If you are familiar with the work of Kirsty at sixty one A, you will know just how cute her birds are.  Kirsty lives in Cornwall, I live in Australia so to have one mailed would be quite expensive.  So what to do?  I searched the internet and came up with this free pattern from Spool Sewing.  Here is how my bird turned out.

This little bird will be roosting in Miss G's bedroom and will be joined by another soon.  A few might roost in Miss C's bedroom too.  Sewing the little bird was quite easy.  The difficult part was pushing the stuffing through the tail section which is quite narrow.  When he was all sewn up, I decided to add some small buttons for eyes.

While I was out and about today getting my knee X-rayed, I made the most of my time by visiting some op. (thrift) shops and a vintage shop which has been in the area for a year but slow old me has only just discovered.  At the vintage shop I found these.

Retro owl salt and pepper shakers.  How cute are these little guys?  I LOVE owls and owly things.  I also found the little tray they are sitting on in the same shop.

The tray seems to be a type of hard plastic, an old type of melamine perhaps.  I intend using the tray to take cold drinks (lemon squash perhaps), out to my garden room in the summer.

My other finds were these.

A lovely embroidered doily which will look gorgeous on my loungeroom coffee table and this tablecloth which is very good quality and in excellent condition.  The tablecloth was only $5.00.

Hope everyone is having a great day.

Anne

A little bit spoilt

Yesterday I was a little bit spoilt.  The reasons why are not important, what I was spoilt with IS!  I was given this beautiful book from a VERY good friend who knows I've entered the exciting world of knitting and crochet.

How am I to choose which bag to knit first?  

This one?  It's got a cute flower on it and it's oh so pretty.

How about this one?  It's so glitzy with those furry ruffles.  I can imagine this bag in purple, yes, definitely a loud, bold purple.

I like this one too.  These are some of my favourite colours but I can equally imagine a bag like this in aqua and orange or hot pink and purple.  Even better black, red and white, the colours of my footy team             ST. KILDA.  Then I'd have a bag to take to the footy.   Interjection here:  GO SAINTERS!!!!!!!  Good luck for the Grand Final this Saturday.

 

 For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while will know how much I love owls.  Can you imagine my delight when I found this fellow sitting on my kitchen bench when I came out for breakfast.  Squeal!!!!  I couldn't stop hugging him.  Yes it's silly I know, I just couldn't help myself.

He's going in my garden room.

 

I love dragonflies almost as much as I love owls and these solar dragonfly lights (there are ten in a row) will be going on the outside of my garden room.

I also have the absolute delight of looking forward to going to a big book store with a voucher and some money to buy a few books.  Top of the list is Bazaar Style and then I think it will be a book on crochet.


Thank you so much to my family and friends who spoilt me rotten.  :-)

 Anne

Felt and fabric owl

Look whoooo landed in my garden last night.  I saw how to make this cute owl in a magazine, "Sew a baby felt owl" and my created juices started flowing.  Of course it does help that I love owls.

My little owl is made from outrageous colours, nothing sombre about him at all.  I didn't have felt and fabric in lovely soft colours like in the magazine and as I was impatient to get started, used what was in my cupboard.  I've another owl cut out ready to sew and he is a bit loud too.  I'm thinking to do something different with his eyes but you'll have to wait and see.  :-)

It seems we have owl themes running hot on blogs today.  If you love owls, check out this blog.

Wishing everyone a lovely day.

Anne  :-)

My family of owls

The love affair I have with owls started about 15 years ago when I was at a particularly low point in my life.  One cold wintery night found me going for a very brisk walk in my neighbourhood and something compelled me to look up.  On top of a light pole was a beautiful owl sitting watching me.  I was enthralled with this beautiful bird and it seemed we silently communed for about ten minutes until the cold persuaded me to head home.

Walking home found me in a completely different frame of mind, a peaceful one for which I was very grateful.  Since this time I have noticed owls seem to be around in times of stress and uncertainty which I find very comforting.  I don't often see them but I hear them calling at night sometimes from one of the big trees in our front yard.

So for everyone who loves owls, I would like to share my family of owls with you. 

 

 Miss G drew this picture for me when she found out I loved owls and it has been on my wall for years.

Mr White owl was the first owl I bought and he came from an op. (thrift) shop to a very good home.  Little carved wooden owl came to me as a gift from a very dear friend who knows how much I love owls.  Studious/book owl was bought when I was doing some university study.  I think he is attempting to say study is fun!!!

This is a photo of a Southern Boobook owl and was given to me as a mothers day present from my family.

Garden owl sits silently day after day watching over my garden.  He's lost his beak...oh dear!!

Dangly owl came from a lovely little gift shop.

Miss G painted this lovely brown owl for me, you can see how her artistic skills have developed.

Gold charm owl was a Christmas gift from D.H. and has since been joined by a dragonfly (did I mention how much I love dragonflies) and a letter A.

Fierce owl was a gift from another friend.

 

Tarnished owl is angry because he can't compete with BLING OWL.

White tea light owl seems to have grown a beard and he looks a bit cross eyed too.

We will reach the end of this post but not quite yet, I've more owls to share! 

 Proud metallic tea light owl has to share space with a dove.  Metallic owl came home with me after a girls weekend away.

 Look at all these gorgeous owls on my calender.

Night light owl lives in the ensuite and at night he really comes into his own!!!

I painted this owl on a fence post with barbed wire a couple of months ago.  He is done in oils and I had the best time painting one of my favourite animals

I hope you've enjoyed seeing  my family of owls.

Anne  :-)