Five Friday Faves - the last on! Blogtoberfest 2013, day 11.

I've decided this will be my last Fabulous Friday Finds...for a while anyway.
I'm going to try something different on Fridays....watch this space.....

So here are a few fabulous finds that I have recently favorited -


How could I go past this? Cloud Atlas is my favorite book!
And what gorgeous colours in this handfelted tunic.

cloud atlas tunic by LybaV

Who doesn't love a handmade book?
Love the styling in Moon Rabbit's photos too.

handbound book by MoonRabbitHandmade

If I could I would collect salt and pepper shakers....but not sure how they would fit in with my chicken collection....there are other cute ones too - cats, birds, pomegranates....oh, yum!

porcelain salt and pepper shakers by BackBayPottery

Loving the amazing colours on these etched copper bracelets.

etched copper bracelet by annamcdade

And how could I not pick this sweet blue mountain brooch.
Look at it!

blue mountain brooch by NariDesignPot

OK, lovely people that a wrap!
Hope you all have a great weekend.

Sunday snippets - in my garden & what I made. Blogtoberfest 2013

Mr planet often makes posies

Mr Bowerbird now has 2 bowers

coconut and reapberry slice

Saturday 7 - places I have just been to - blogtoberfest 2013 day 5

I have just come back from a month away in northern Italy! Aren't I the lucky one?!

It was absolutely fabulous!
I feel to lucky and privileged to have seen some amazing places, met some wonderful people, eaten delicious (mostly) food and witnessed the glories of nature and man.

So without further ado I bring to you - in reverse order -

1. Rome.

There is so much more to Rome that the Colosseum and the Vatican although they are pretty splendid.
For example here is the Pantheon - it is a 2000 year old temple, remarkably well-preserved because it was made into a church. Bits of the outside were pilfered (recycled) for other building projects but not as badly as other places. And it has the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome!
Yes, the romans made concrete - who knew?!

2. Sardinia

Sardinia is an island. In the Mediterranean.
It has a spectacular limestone coast.
And unbelievably blue water.

3. Tuscany.

Tuscany looks like this.
No really!

4. Florence

Everyone raves about Florence - and it grew on me.
There is more to see - there always is.

5. Cinque Terre.

Five of the most beautiful little villages, perched above the sea, on and into the cliffs - connected by walking paths and a train.
Delightful.

6. The Dolomites.

Spectacular!

The Dolomites are series of mountains stretching from the eastern border to the Italian Alps. Lots of very sticky-uppy bits with the greenest of valleys in between and the sweetest alpine flower-bedecked villages dotted around.

7. Venice.

Venice - ah! Venice.
It did not disappoint at all.
I could ramble on all day about Venice and you can read why here and see why here.
....if you like.

And a bonus one today, because we didn't plan on going there but just needed to hop off a train to see  - Pisa.

There is a lot more to Pisa than the leaning tower, although it is much nice in real life...but you will have to wait for that!

If you would like to see more of my travels hop over to my other blog Adventures with G & T.

Five fabulous friday finds from my faves - blogtoberfest day 4

It's nearly summer! yay!

So must be time for a new dress -

fruit prints dress by tsyndyma

Or maybe a new skirt -

the organis skirt by stephanec

And then a new hat of course -

big summer hat by frecklescalifornia

Then I would need some new shoes -

handmade shoes by thoseshoes

And then sit down and have a drink!

margarita time by sandralynns

Cheers!

Me, myself and I. Blogtoberfest day 2.

I realised when I looked at today's prompt that I have no information about myself in my profile.
In fact I'm a bit of a mystery!

But never fear - I am a real person.
What would you like to know about me?
Shall I start at the beginning?

This is me.

1. I was born in England and completed my education there.
2. I went to university and finished a degree in physics.
3. I never really had a career in physics.
4. I never really knew what I wanted to do.
5. For a while I worked as a social worker with kids.
6. Then one day I decided to visit my sister in Australia. I packed my bag and said to mum and dad that I was definitely coming back. But I never did.
7. I fell in love - with Australia.
8. Then I fell in love with GC - and got married.
9. We tried to have children, but failed. After 4 surgeries for endometriosis I managed to get pregnant twice.
10. D is now 24 (nearly 25) years old and A is 23 (just).
11. We moved to the US for 2 and a half years when the kids were preschoolers. We lived in Tucson Arizona.
12. Before we went I was in love with pottery and was going to be a potter. While I was in the US I discovered beads.
13. I have played with beads ever since!
14. I also sew (I used to make all mine and all the kids clothes)
15. I can knit but don't have the time now.
16. I'd love to be an artist.
17. I'd love to have some chooks.
18. I love the great outdoors, bushwalking, camping, bike riding.
19. I love watching movies.
20. I love chocolate.

This is my family

What to blog about?

When I first started blogging I wondered what on earth I would find to blog about!
But here I am - 4 and a half years and over 600 posts later - still blathering on!

So, what to blog about?
Here are some of the ideas for blog content that I have collected.

1. What you are working on.
2. Write about someone else - another artist or designer maybe.
3. Review something - a book or a movie or a product.
4. Write a list eg 30 things I want to do before I'm 30.
5. Your creative process.
6. Something you just bought be it craft supplies or a wonderful backpack.
7. Spotlight items from your inventory.
8. Hold a competition.
9. Hold a giveaway.

10. Write a tutorial either for one of your creations, or a recipe, or how to change a car tyre.
11. Write about an event you have been to - a craft show, or a theatre show, or a dog show.
12. Write about your travels - round the block or round the world.
13. Something from your family life, or your childhood.
14. Invite guest bloggers.
15. How you have developed your creative business.
16. Join in with special days hosted by other bloggers - eg wordless wednesday at My Little Drummer Boys, My creative space hosted by kootoyoo at Village Voices on Kidspot, Mandarin Orange Monday at lorikart, Friday Finds, Sunday snippets with tinniegirl or just do your own.

17. ______ inspires me.
18. What I've learned from ________________. eg running a craft business, or being a mother.
19. Share other interesting blogs posts/tutorials/how-to's/giveaways etc. Note do not copy hollus-bollus but a short review or comment and then link back to the original post.
20. A follow-up on something you blogged about a while back.

Well, that's about all I can think of for now.
What else can you add to the list?

Please leave a thoughtful comment if you would like to enter this week's giveaway, which I will draw later today.
You can leave a comment on any of my posts.

There are more blogtoberfest giveaways happening over on Ms Curlypops blog.

Want to find out what blogtoberfest is all about? Head on over here. 

And the winner is....

The winner of the necklace giveaway is AC of Anastasia Drawing and Dreaming!

Congrats Anastasia.

The next giveaway will be a grab bag of a ring, a keyring and a brooch!
The brooch will be a fabric brooch from my Boos Tees shop something like this one.

Please leave a thoughtful comment on any post to go into the draw to win the grab bag.

You can find more blogtoberfest participants on I saw you dancing's blog.
And you can find more giveaways over at Ms Curly Pop's page.

Look what I found! some new faves

I'd love to share with you today some of my newly-found favorites on etsy!

Isn't this the most squeely- adorable little bag?

cross body bag Lavinia and her dog by hensteeth

Just loving these gorgeous bright colours - and of course, I have a weakness for square plates.

handpainted pottery plate set by DixiesNightOwl

I am in awe of people who crochet! What a lovely simple idea though, so sweet.

granny square necklace by table tin

These cool pouches are made from Robins own artworks!
So clever! So unique! so chic!

dollar bill pouch and keyring by Robin Maria Pedrero

Still loving the super-bright and colourful - which earrings would you chose?
I dont' think I could stop at just one pair!

enamel heart earrings by gillthecat

This one speaks to the latent hippie in me!
Such a clever design and oh, those colours!

circular hippie vest by LoveandKnit

Have a fabulous weekend and may it be filled with love and colour!

Remember to leave a lovely meaningful comment if you would like to go in the draw for my sweet beaded necklace.

A winner and another giveaway

The winner of the earrings giveaway is Dani! Yay! for Dani!!

This week's giveaway is a sweet glass beaded necklace set on a chain.
Like the one shown here.

All you need to do is leave a comment on any post this week and I'll draw a winner next Tuesday 16th October.
For more blogtoberfest giveaways pop on over here.

Winning and giving

A few weeks ago I won something!
A custom brooch by the lovely Miriam over on Create Hope Inspire,

I got to chose the word on my brooch - tough decision, but having just come back from some travels I decided that I'd like to explore the world some more. And then she made this brooch especially for me!
Now that is special/

Who doesn't love a freebie?
I love that every Friday Kelly over at 74 Lime Lane has a friday freebies feature, where she selects a great swag of free printables from around the webs.

She is a fabulous photographer and has so generously made some of her photos available for bloggers etc to use.

There are more images that Kelly is sharing here.
Isn't that great?

The lovey Sissy Sparrows on their One Story Down site have some digital downloads too. Here.

On the subject of free stuff, did you know that a number of blogtoberfest participants are having special giveaways.
Go and check them out here.

Remember I'm having a giveaway too.
To have the chance of scoring a pair of planettreaures earrings leave a comment.
Then I'll draw the winner next Tuesday.

Welcome to blogtoberfest!

Hi and welcome to blogtoberfest!
This is when a whole lot of bloggers will endeavour to blog every day in October.

I took part in this last year and it was fun, challenging and inspiring.
At the moment there are nearly 168 participants. If you would lie to join in or just check out some really cool blogs pop on over to our fabulous hosts blog, I Saw You Dancing.

The gorgeous Curly Pops is hosting the giveaway page for blogtoberfest. Not too many participants at the moment but I'm sure thing will pick up as the month goes on. Have a look - here!


Back here you will find a few stories about me and my life and craft(s).

 On Wednesdays I'll continue the photo essays on my trip to India in July.

Thursdays are traditionally My Creative Space days.

Other things I have planned include some how to's, tutorials and spotlight on some of my artist and designer friends.

I'll include places I've been, and anything that generally rock my socks!

If you are a blogger why don't you challenge yourself and join us in blogtoberfest? Go on!
I'll see you there.

7 things sunday - places I have lived - blogtoberfest day 30

1. Kidderminster
Kidderminster is where I was born and spent the first 18 years of my life.
It is in the West Midlands of Englad is is well known for -
carpets
a football team called the Kidderminster Harriers
a local paper called the Kidderminster Shuttle.
Famous people from Kidderminster include Sir Rowland Hill who invented the postage stamp and Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame ( brush with fame - he used to come into a pub I worked in....)
There is a statue of Sir Rowland Hill in the middle of the town...but I don't think there is one of Robert Plant!

Kidderminster, Worcestershire, a photo by lisby1 on Flickr.

2. London. I lived (boy, did I live !!) and studied in London. In lovely south Kensington near Kings Road, Chelsea and also in North Kensington near Portobello Road where the awesome markets are.

Portobello Road market

3. Reigate. Where I worked as a house-mum in a boarding school for a while.
I can only remember that there was a pub across the road and there were some nice walks in the area.

Reigate Heath windmill image from wikipedia

4. Sydney. I lived in a few places in Sydney, none of which had this view -

5. Blue Mountains, west of Sydney where I have lived off and on for a few years.

6. Parkes - famous for The Dish

7. Tucson - famous for being in the desert and hot and having these amazing, enormous saghuaro cacti.

tucson photo from flickr

How many places have you lived in?
Where have you lived? Anywhere exotic?

One more day of blogtoberfest tomorrow!
If you are taking part - how are you going? Did you manage to post every day? Or did you take some time off?

You can find blogtoberfest participants here.

Blogtoberfest giveaways are here.