Bella Rosa and Lovely Furniture.

Sam went back to Pre School on Friday for a full day so i had the day to myself to do whatever i pleased. I had one rule, NO HOUSEWORK, not under any cicumstances! I did very well too,I didnt even wash the dishes...oooh how rebellious of me ! But i thought ah to heck with it, i am having some ME time. So i settled down on the lounge with my kitty cats, some chockie (oh ok a whole block) and a good movie. I was all set. OR SO I THOUGHT ! The movie was WILD HOGS (John Travolta, William H Macy, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence), ive been busting to see it so Shane downloaded it for me (sshhh thats our secret). So there i was all psyched up and 10 minutes into it i had to turn it off. Its a bit hard to watch a movie when the peoples lips are moving and 5 years later the words actually come (ok slight exaggeration there). I was totally bummed. I rang Mum, she said she'd be so mad that she'd be, and i quote, "Hurling stuff around the room". I told her i have too much pretty stuff that might break! LOL
So i turned my lemons into lemonade and whipped out the paint brushes and canvas instead. Painting by myself, undisturbed, is also so rare for me.
So heres my BELLA ROSA that i painted on my Day Off :)



My latest piece of Bargain Furniture is a lovely big Hall/Sofa Table that i bought on Ebay for $40. I had (notice i said HAD) every intention of re-selling it in my friends shop, but well, gee, gosh its so darn lurvley! Im afraid to put it anywhere with pretties on it for fear of falling more in love with it.......What's a Girl to do?????


See, isnt it just gorgeous and cant you see it just needs someone to love it.....I think i know someone......hee hee

Big Hugs,
Shann xxoo

I've Been Told....

My lovely 'Pretty Chic' friend Joyce has told me i need to update. Wel,l i told her, not much has been happening this past week for me to report!
I have however done some Custom Orders and posted them off and had a total 'brain fart' (love that expression, got it from Colleen @ Frostings and Sparkles) and forgot to take photos! DER sometimes i wonder about myself.....whats my name again???
I shall get my sweet customers to email a pic or 2 or 3 when they receive them !

Last Saturday we rugged up and tootled off up the mountains to visit my sweet gal pal Rexine at her shop, which is going fantastically for her, then we headed a bit further up to have lunch at a Favourite Cafe called the Wayzgoose.Dont ya just lurv the name WAYZGOOSE ! I just like saying it :) ANYWAY the 'We' i talk about is myself, Shane and Sam, Mum, my nieces Alex (16) and Kaitlyn (4 1/2). Our lunch was of course yummy and i couldnt help but snap a photo of my sweet lil Sam with his Flowerpot Scone, it was HUGE, particularly for a 4 year old.....but as you will see in the after shot, he did very well!

Sam working out the best approach........ Thats a Terracotta Pot FULL of scone. Looks good doesnt it!


The Aftermath....that poor scone never knew what hit it....LOL


I also took one of my sweet niece with her bowl of chips that were almost as big as her! Alas the chips and the strawberry milkshake proved too much for her tiny tummy and she had to admit defeat!


After lunch Shane headed back to the car with Sam who at this point had become possessed by some sort of Demon, so we went and bought fudge YES of course we had room for it, theres always room for fudge, then Mum went to the shops(she came in her own car)and myself,Alex and kaitlyn headed back to the car to Shane and Sam the evil child. OK NOW bearing in mind they dropped me off at the Cafe to get a table so i didnt see where they parked......and i am now relying on a 16 year old to tell me where the car is.....BAD BAD BAD MOVE she couldnt remember! It was about 3 degrees, freezing...well we walked and we walked up hills with frozen legs that felt like lead, down hills, all over, we were freezing cold but gee we kept our humour i must say, i mean really, was getting cranky going to help us find the car?? Well after about 40 minutes we did find it, with help from Mum who we found on our travels.....Suffice to say my dear , darling husband was not amused when we returned to the car absolutely laughing our fool heads off! Well you just had to see the humour in it.

CONCLUSION AND LIFE LESSON: A fun day was had by all(mostly) and NEVER rely on a 16 year old for any sort of directions! **giggle**

Ok thats it from me for a few days,

Nite Nite, Shann xxoo

I have some really sweet customers.

I received the sweetest email today. I have a lovely customer named Ali that i have done some Custom Orders for, the latest one being Faux Treats to decorate the tables at her sweet little girls 2nd Birthday Tea Party. One item almost didnt get there as i dropped it on the floor and smashed it to bits whilst packaging it (can you imagine the state of panic i was in???? I just stood there looking at it all over my kitchen floor, shaking my head, i think i was in denial...). There wasnt time to make another one and get it set and posted in time for the party so my lovely hubby personally delivered it to Ali's home (about an hour and a halfs drive away) to be sure she had it in time! What a thoughtful hubby i have :)
ANYWAY..... Ali sent me this lovely email today with some photos of the party and i just had to share this email with you (i havent included the photos for privacy reasons as they include Ali and her family). This gal is a real gem and a pleasure to know :)


Hi Shannon,

Thanks so much for your note that you sent and apologies for my very slow reply. Molly's party went wonderfully thank you. I Have included some photos for you and a little thank you. Sorry that you can't see your gorgeous cupcakes and lollies very well but they were the centrepieces on the little tables and the decorations on the big food table. I have to say your teapot received SO many compliments I think just about everyone asked / commented so it certainly was a big hit! They all loved the cupcakes and lollies too so thanks so very much. I will be pulling them all out of their home in and on my china cabinet next weekend though as my in-laws are coming over form NZ so we are having another little party. Will try and take a better photo of them on the tables then!

Anyway hope you are going really well and thanks again for making Molly's party so pretty! Oh and by the way, my teapot is looking a little lonely in it's pride of place on my china cabinet and I was wondering if you will be making anything else similar ... not sure what, maybe a cake?, that I could put next to it ... or maybe just another teapot but in green? Any ideas most welcome!

Thanks again
Ali


Like i said, a real gem :) Thanks Ali xo


Ok now here are my latest Faux Treats. Shane has been away for a few nights so i got busy 'creating' once Sam was in bed and i had no interruptions (this is very uncommon by the way).
I have also been doing some painting and will post piccies in a few days.

For now enjoy ALL of the 'Eye Candy ' LOL (you'll see what i mean at the very bottom.......) I couldnt help myself....bad Shannon, bad.







Ahhh Matthew (you gotta love the accent)

Sweet Dreams.... xxoo
Shann :)

SAMS 4th BIRTHDAY TODAY......ooh i feel old....its a long one.....

HIP HIP HOORAY AND HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GORGEOUS BOY TODAY!

Sam turned 4 today, i cant believe it, he's 4 already! Last night i was being all sentimental remembering being in hospital having him.....it seem like yesterday he was a little bundle all cuddled up in my arms, now he is in the "I havent got any kisses and cuddles" as he puts it, phase. He is still Mummy and Daddys little buddy but.
He got some great prezzies but i think his favourite is his vacuum cleaner that we gave him, yes, my son loves to vacuum, and his Neil Diamond CD, Sam adores Neil Diamond just like his mummy and grandad, so he didnt want the usual kids music (wiggles etc) he wanted Neil Diamond. You gotta love that!
Here is our favourite birthday song we sing...
"happy birthday to you
squashed bananas and spew,
peanut butter from the gutter,
happy birthday to you"
Thats just how we are in this house...CRAZY... LOL
We spent the day with family at our local river and the park area there and it was just beautiful, sunny and no wind, just what i ordered for my boy :)

Heres some piccies of our day.
Sam woke up to balloons and streamers through the house! He was so excited!


This is Sam with the Vacuum Cleaner we bought him.


Now the cake i made.....its a Fire Engine but the red food colouring wasnt exactly red....it tasted great but!


Sam and Daddy at the river :)


Sam climbing all over his Aunty Tracey.


The tool/work bench, also a big hit. He's even practising work safety by wearing goggles LOL


Now we are all exhausted from a very busy and fun day.Glad its only once a year :)
Oh before i go i must show you all my new/old sideboard. We picked it up this morning and though i am going to paint it i just had to put my pretties on it till i do. I will strip it back and paint it antique white and replace the broken handles with crystal ones. I cant wait! Its going to be gorgeous.


AND.....my husband is always telling me we have too much furniture...well whilst picking up the sideboard, he discovers an old piano....Gee thats gorgeous he says, and its only $50 too.....lets buy it ! Now take into consideration the fact that he hasnt a musical bone in his body and i havent attempted piano since high school.....BUT we bought it anyway! How could we not???? its over 100 years old and the guy just needed it gone. It took 4 people to get it in my back room LOL we have no idea what to do with it but right now Sam likes it and so do the cats hee hee.



I have to add this photo i snuck in today of my mummy relaxing in my 'pretty room' with one of my magazines. I know Mum, you hate it right???? AND you will get me for this....yeah yeah, ive heard it all before....Bring it on i say LOL Luv ya.


Ok thats it from me, hope you havent fallen asleep on me....
I promise a shorter one next time!

Luv and Hugs,
Shann xxoo

THE PLASTER HAS LEFT THE BUILDING ! plus some of my work AND my Matchbox Swap !

Well the day finally came ! Yesterday Sams plaster came off. After 6 1/2 weeks, we thought the day would never get here.
The poor nurse had a real challenge in front of her, that plaster was set to withstand a nuclear bomb blast! She even had to bring out the big guns....the electric saw! Can you imagine having to just lay there while this razor sharp saw is coming at your leg????? I was horrified! Sam however is so in love with machinery that his only concern was that i may block his view of it cutting the plaster off him! What a little champ. We wanted to keep the plaster but it had to be hacked up to get it off. Once it came off we got to see the results of the operation and i was a little shocked by the size of the incisions and how skinny and pale his leg was. Being a typical Mum i had to hold myself together just a bit...... Sam just thought it was funny that the picture the Dr drew on his leg before his operation was still there.
Anyway, all went really well and Sam was over the moon to be able to have a big bubble bath again! Now hopefully his leg and foot will re-gain enough strength for him to put some pressure on it and start towards walking again. It could take quite a few weeks, its all up to him now.
I've said it before and i'll say it again...i am just so proud of my little guy (Even when he is a cheeky little brat :)

I managed to snap a quick pic of his foot. I really hope it doesnt offend anyone. (Its not too bad and it doesnt show the major incision on the inside of his foot at least.)



NOW as i said a few posts ago, i have been a busy bee of late. This is a collection of my work that is headed for Katrina @ Little La La's. She's the loveliest gal! I hope she loves it all :) Make sure you check out her website (its over there in my favs).




MATCHBOX SWAP !!!

YAY i received my matchbox swap today from Kathy @ Kathy's Cottage! What a sweetheart is this lady. I cannot believe she made 5 matchboxes for me. Each one is decorated in the sweetest pink papers with pretty embellishments. Kathy filled them with divine vintage buttons, lace, ribbons, tags, a gorgeous cupcake charm and lots more! if you click on my photo you can see all the pretties this gorgeous lady sent me. I am overwhelmed that a total stranger can be so sweet, kind and generous. Kathy from the bottom of my heart i THANKYOU. My cup runneth over :)



Thats it from me...its been a long few days, weeks, months actually LOL

HUGS,
Shann xo

Photos of My Friends New GORGEOUS Shop

Ok before i head off to Beddy Byes and collapse from total exhaustion (need lots more sleep), heres some pics of the new shop (see post below for more details).
My friend (Rexine) had a fantastic OPENING DAY and i am so tickled PINK for her :)
Unfortunately i snapped these pics before Mum got there and put her lamps in the store, and then i forgot to go back and take more. Sorry Mum!
The store is in a very ummm, should i say, Ritzy/Boutique area, so she will do very well . PLUS Rexine is just the most gorgeous person you could meet and everyone who meets her loves her! She is a wonderful friend and i am so blessed to have her in my life. LUV YA CHOOKIE xxoo
So heres a few pics for you to check out anyway :) Even snapped one of the Lady herself, all proud as punch :)






DONT YA JUST LOVE IT !!!!
Okies, NITE NITE Gals :)
Luv Shann xxoo

Busy Bee Me and Bye Bye Plaster......

Before i get into what ive been up to all week i have to announce that theres only 2 MORE DAYS OF PLASTER FOR SAM !!!!
Ohmigawd can you hear me shrieking????? I cant believe how fast its gone. Ok some days were really slow and i wanted to just bury my head in the sand and scream, but mostly the time has buzzed by. Hmmmm maybe not so fast for Sam but. What a little trooper he is. I cant believe how well he managed.I am just burstin with pride :) If it was me i would have been groaning and complaining all day, every day. But thats kids hey, they deal with things so much better than we do.
So anyway Monday at 8:20am it comes off !!! Then we will see the result of the operation and see his skinny, pasty looking leg :)
I'll be sure to let you all know how it went! I'll even take a photo if the little rat will let me.

NOW this is what ive been up to all week.
My Bestest Gal Friend is opening up a Shabby Chic/French Prov shop in the lovely Blue Mountains. Opening day is Saturday, YIKES TOMMORROW, and i will be with her all day helping out. I have been busy 'creating and painting' some items to go in the store. Cant wait to get photos of it tomorrow to show you all. Even some of mums lamps are going to be in there.
Heres a little snippet of some things i have done for the shop.I wont bore you with too many photos :)





The 2 photos below are of the far side of my kitchen. I just love my little table here in the corner (yes the chairs are on my list of things to paint white!). We have the main table in the Dining Room too but this ones good to just sit at for breakfast. I have had to re-arrange things a bit to hang up all the signs. You can see my lovely green wall with pretty cake art prints from my friend Gail McCormack.I just love that wall, i think the cake art with all its pink colours, look amazing on the green. We painted the guests bathroom the same colour!



I have also been busy this week filling another BIG order for a lovely new friend and her business, but im not posting any photos yet...HA HA gonna make her sweat it out and wait a few more days!!! Sorry Katrina couldnt help myself HA HA. I know she will be laughing :)

Ok so till tomorrow perhaps.....
If i am not totally exhausted i will post pics of the shop!
Oh forgot to mention it is called SAGE-Gifts and Homewares.

IM SO EXCITED!!!!

Tutt Taa

Shann xxoo