My Christmas Wish List

I know, I know, I'm meant to wish for peace and love and happiness and an end to worldwide hunger...and I want those things, I truly do, BUT, who am I kidding...I love getting presents. I love giving them too and try to make as many as I can because I just like that (sorry to all those people that cringe when they see that I'm buying for them because they know that they're going to get something homemade..but too bad. Hee hee.) I'm making something cute for my niece and nephew but of course I can't show you those until after Christmas.

Here's my Christmas list, so pay attention Mitch and Joe, although most of the stuff here isn't practical for you, Joe, because you only get to spend $10 - $15.

First up is a Cast Iron Reversible Griddle from "Apron" on Mary St. About $35. Then I'll be able to cook your steaks properly ,Mitch, and cook kebabs for the kids.(They won't fit in a frying pan and our griller doesn't work. The kebabs...not the kids.)

A new watering can. Okay, so a plastic one would work just fine, but metal is so much better looking...and how could you go past one as bright as this. Try Big W.

This picture's too small, but it's a mattock. For digging up my lawn and jungle, I mean (weedy, overgrown, disgustingly messy) garden beds, and turning them into "real" gardens.

Mitre 10...$25.

Okay, we've got a gardening theme happening here. This thing is called Grampa's Weeder.

Mitre 10....$25.

I know this one's just wishful thinking and I don't just mean the perky bum and "ahem" bosoms, but the real item of interest is the croquet set. You can get one (quite cheaply) at Sports Power for $70, but unfortunately our budget is $50 for each other for Chrissy. That's the Budget Rules. Sigh.

This cookbook which has recipes from classic childrens literature including Famous Five fruitcake, with little snippets from each story it accompanies.

And speaking of the Famous Five, I'd love to get this book, which I know is much cheaper from Big W. (And I think it has a different cover.)

Oh, and anything in the "Rosa" range by J & G Meakin. For the uninitiated, these are plain coloured plates, bowls, cups, teapots etc that I am currently having a love affair with. They were made during World War 2 when England producers weren't allowed to make anything with patterns. Some are just plain, but I particularly love the ones with the scallopy edges. You can also get them in blue (Celeste), green (Jade) and creamy yellow (Sunshine) all in yummy, pretty pastel colours which I also collect, but I particularly love the pink.. Actually I also have ones that look similar made by Johnson Brothers and Grindley. I don't really care about the company, I just love the look. You can get them on ebay but with the postage it can get quite expensive. I've picked most of mine up from thrift shops and second-hand markets/sales, most times for just a couple of bucks.

The picture isn't of my collection, unfortunately.

So Mitch, take your pick of all these wonderful presents that you so carefully thought up for me. And Joe, you sort of know my tastes, don't you. Anything vintagey or cottagey, in red or pastel for the kitchen or navy or blue or white is fine. I like spots too. (I'm just not really into the "country" thing with farm animals and cutesy dolls anymore.) I love the houses on these blogs that are all listed down the side if you need further inspiration.

Daisy Cottage
Cherry Hill Cottage
Posy Gets Cosy
An Enchanted Cottage
Little Red House
At Home with MelMel

I hope this helps.

And a final thank you to all the random websites on the internet that I got my pictures from. I know I should probably credit them properly, but I'm lazy like that.

Some more rearranging...

Well, it's been a while and I have no real excuse other than that I've been feeling overwhelmed by everything lately. There's 13 1/2 days of school/work left and if I can just hang in there until that's over, I'll be fine.

I've done some more rearranging at home, just to keep things fresh and because my house is always so tidy I didn't have anything else to do. (Did you hear the heavy sarcasm?) Okay, I was cleaning so I could spray for insects but it's fun to get distracted.

I moved the dining table back into the kitchen so I could set up a cosy little reading nook in the lounge room with our awkward chair (does anyone else have a lounge chair that came with their set that they have trouble finding the right space for? It always just seems "left-over") and using the island table that used to be in the kitchen. (My family hate it when I rearrange because they can't find things. ("Mum, where's the paper bags that USED to be in the table drawer?) Well, I can't leave paper bags and freezer bags in a table that's now in the lounge room, right? That would be just silly. So they're now in the hutch and the things that were in the hutch are....oh, never mind. It's like musical chairs.

But it's my favourite space now.

If one of the cats doesn't get to it first.

And I revamped the dresser in our hallway, which was meant to be decorative but always ended up covered in mail and junk. Out with the dried wheat and rusty jug and in with the pretty pastel blues. And a new white laundry hamper. Oops, the photo's all blurry.

Do you recognise this tray from this post? Well, I haven't finished grouting it yet but I think it came up really pretty. Thanks Lisa for showing me how to mosaic. I'll show you a proper close-up when it's finished.

I love this shelf. My uncle made it for me for my 18th birthday from recycled timber from some army barracks that were being torn down. I think he said the cedar in it was over 100 years old. It's got some old family books on it and my Dad's toy car from when he was a boy. I'm kinda tempted to paint the shelf white though. What do you think? Would that be ruining it?