Weekend extravaganza sunshine

 

Nat here.  I hosted a lovely little tea party on Saturday for A, S and baby R, isn't she just the cutest?  She loved her fairy bread, mini cupcake and chicken sandwich...and the cushions..

I had the day off work on Thursday and Friday, poor Mum has pneumonia so I was able to spend some time with her - hope you're feeling better Mum! On my way to the hospital on Friday I snuck in some breakfast with husband at Harvey's which was delish!

We went to Lure for dinner on Saturday night, whenever seafood chowder is on the menu it reminds me of Shaanie...

The food was quite nice, although the ambience I would rate 0/10.  We were clearly in the overflow which doubles as a boardroom, being shoved up against a wall with a projector overhead is not my idea of nice. 

It is Master S's 1st birthday today, he had a celebration at New Farm Park on Sunday.  I made cupcakes and husband was Chief Decorator, didn't he do a great job?

We also did some arrowroot faces....

On Sunday night we celebrated C & M's engagement, M proposed in Paris, how romantic!! Here is the happy couple...

P&W put on a lovely spread...

On a final note, I've been embracing flowers and am loving them on bedside tables, doesn't it just brighten everything up tremendously?

Happy Tuesday and End-of-Month for all you budding accountants out there!

Monday sunshine

Nat here.  I have lots to share from the weekend but it will take me some time to write it all up so in the meantime I thought I'd post a few lovely pics of things I'm thinking about.  I've just had my sewing machine serviced and it's ready to be taken out of its box.  I wonder if I had a room like the above I would use it?

I saw the girls last night to celebrate C &M's engagement (yay!) and we decided we are all going to have a market stall and sell all those things we haven't worn or used in forever.  K is going to help us style our stall, I'm thinking something like this...

Happy Monday!

Cottage update

Nat here.  As well as putting the final touches on the internal painting, we also tackled the external decking on the weekend.  You'll remember this was the before....

This is with some undercoat...

And this is the finished product!

We're quite happy with the results... although of course it will be better when the paint colour of the house matches!

Here's a little before and after of the entrance way....

Doesn't this faux pannelling look great below? Just like real vjay's!  This is the entrance wall to the new 3rd bedroom...

The question we have now is what to do with the unpainted lattice on the deck?  I'm thinking of hanging herbs...something like this...

What do you think?

In other cottage news, we've decided that because we're putting in a new bathroom and a new 3rd bedroom the only room that hasn't been touched is the kitchen.  We're putting in an IKEA kitchen, this is our visual..

What do you think? We have a fab builder who is happy to put it in for us.  It's surprisingly inexpensive...really surprising!

Hope you're enjoying our updates!

Weekend happenings

Nat here. This is where I spent a glorious Saturday and Sunday morning - at A and J's farm! Their farm is in Theebine, about 30 minutes north of Gympie. You instantly relax as you drive in their gate...  

Equally as exciting as seeing A was seeing their son L, he is an absolute 11/10 (ref:FF) cutie.  Here he is on his John Deere like Daddy's and the infamous face that I captured when he's surprised, isn't he just gorgeous?

 

He loves helping Mum....

 

A has embraced country life and caters accordingly.....this is for 6 people!

We were sent home with a pack of goodies and home-made pumpkin soup!
A is coming down to Brissie this Saturday so I've started my cookbook researching to pay her back for such a lovely weekend...

The rest of the weekend was spent at the cottage...an update on that is to follow!

Friday sunshine

Nat here.  I had a lovely lunch with B today at June on Eagle St.  Jude, can I just say that I'm so glad you upgraded your eco faux wooden cutlery, your delicious food is now appropriately matched!

B was a little sad as it's her 1st year anniversary being in BrisVegas after living in Cayman.  It's such a funny thing living away from home, the whole time you are away you are home sick and the second you get home you wished you had stayed!  The grass is always greener on the other side isn't it?  It is great to have you home B if you're reading this!

A big weekend awaits, I'm heading up to Theebine past Gympie to see my wonderful friend A who I don't see nearly enough. A is the CWA awarded baker to the stars...I can't wait!  S and I are road tripping in the new car, I have a playlist organised!

Husband has plenty of painting ahead of him. We're heading to the cottage first thing tomorrow so hopefully I'll have some photos for you.

Until then, here's a new site with recipes to boot...recipes for self-saucing chocolate pudding...

And hazelnut meringues..

Check it out here.  Happy Weekend!

Pretties

Nat here.  There have been so many zen-like images on pininterest lately.  Loving it!

Can't you picture a great party here?

And loving this colour palette..

Does anyone else do this, or is it just me?

If it's not me it's the husband...needless to say when I do need them for cooking I never have them!


Happy Wednesday!

Update and other lovelies

Nat here.  What a great weekend!  The cottage reno's continue, the boys made great progress on the painting, look at this...isn't the white great?!

The lovely K had a brunch on Sunday which was just gorgeous...look how much trouble her and M went to....

K is super clever and uber creative, she has the ability to make a home, homely, if you know what I mean?  We all oooheed and aahhed over her new acquisition... I'm finding the stockist and I'll report back!

 And her collection of prints..

And her painting....that's right K did this - herself!!

Speaking of homely I made a roast last night..

And a boiled chocolate cake on Saturday, it was delicious...

I detest buying "Coles" brand anything as all my friends know, as they stifle competition and if we all continue to take them up on their underpriced products we'll eventually be left with nothing but Coles brand everything on the shelf....alas they did have peonies on the weekend so I succumbed..

I hate to end this blog post on an awful note but husband and I went to an open home on Saturday...for a house that is listed at $665,000..seriously.  One room was furnished, the rest was empty.  This was the styling..

Note to person who sells ridiculously over-priced home - pulling a quilt down does not make it inviting!  It must be a bloke?

We took M &J to the Reds on Saturday night - what a great game!  The train trip back to the car wasn't as fun with "major delays due to a power outage at Corinda".  I'll quote M - "you just can't catch public transport in Brisbane, it is hopeless".  Yes it is.

Reading...

Nat here.  I have a book to finish for book club but I'm not loving it, I think if I had a spot like this it would be easier...

 Or like this one...

Even this one...although I'm not a huge fan of those stripes...

The book is Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood...has anyone read it? Does it get better?  It focuses on a group called God's Gardeners, a small community of survivors of the same biological catastrophe....see I told you!