Friday 27 February 2009

IS YOUR HOME PERFECT ?


Well i know mine isnt. So what about yours?

Ive been thinking about 'perfect' homes for a few days, after a customer came to my home to pick up her orders and asked "Is this place a shop?"
Ok now i have to admit i wasn't sure how i felt about that question. I know my customer meant it as a compliment by saying my home was lovely and in her eyes 'perfect'.
But in my mind i thought Geez did she think it looked so perfect that it wasn't 'lived in' ?
I was really really worried about this.
Then i decided that while it may have seemed perfectly in place, this lady didn't see right around the corner far into the family room to all the things that make our home so NOT perfect. LOL.

Like the un-polished, un-sanded floorboards with paint splashes on them from the previous owners.
And the pieces of paper sticky taped to the floor (courtesy of Sam and his vivid imagination) with X marks the spot on them.....

Now how could i possibly rip those up?
I never will.

OR my gorgeous dresser with the bottom doors that keep getting pushed in by the cats because i still cant decide what fabric to keep on them so i haven't secured them down.


Then theres my exercise bike that's sitting in the Family Room. I just have nowhere else for it...and anyway i like to pedal while im watching re-runs of Ally McBeal.


So i concluded that while my house may 'appear perfect', there are those little spots here and there that prove otherwise.
Don't get me wrong i LOVE all the beautiful, glossy homes in the magazines, and yes a few rooms of my home are like that. BUT the Family Room is where all the action is, and on any given day, amongst my pretties and on my new sofas, there are a zillion kids toys, books and drawings by Sam, 5 sleepy and cheeky cats, squished cushions everywhere and ..... MY FAMILY.
And you know what? I wouldn't change any of it for all the money in the world.

What about you?

I wish you all a safe and happy weekend with your families.
We are picnicking on Sunday with my mum and Stepdad....and off to the park to feed the ducks with Sam.


Love Always,
Shann xxx

P.S Maybe next time I'll show you all my messy office.
xx

Wednesday 25 February 2009

KITCHEN MAKEOVER PART 2. Warning WET PAINT.

Okies girls just a quick lil update on the kitchen re-do.
A 'slight hiccup'has occurred so it looks like i may be waiting a while longer for my 'new' cupboards( i know, bummer dude). Soooo i guess we are lucky that im pretty handy dandy with a paint brush hey!

Today's mission: Start undercoating the cupboards....byeeee byeeee pink.



Now with 5 cats inside i really do have to pick and choose the time when i will top coat them....i don't really fancy little kitty katt hairs stuck to my gloss paint. Fuzzy n Fluffy isn't really the look im going for, LOL.

Oh and the hall tiles are all gone too. That hubby of mine, he is worth bottling i tell you :)
So now we have floorboards right through the house and im looooving them so much. Pulling out nails but...not loving that so much. But a gals gotta do what a gals gotta do in order to get her home all prettied up right?

Here's the very last spot of tiles. We had a moment of silence b4 Shane slammed those ugly suckers with the sledgehammer!


WooooHooo i am so glad to see the back of them!

Lots more to do...I'll be back in a few days with more progress to report on.
Before i go i have to share with you the MOST AWESOME swap i received from the lovely Fiona @ Mothers Cupboard.
Fiona and i were partners in my sweet friend Dolly's Vintage Heart Swap #2.

Here are the goodies i sent Fiona....


And lookie at this bundle of YUMMM and FROU FROU that she sent me !

Fiona you spoilt me! I loved everything so much! You knew exactly what to send me and even catered for my sweet tooth (my huge butt thanks you). LOL.

If you haven't popped by Fiona's blog yet, make sure you do. She is such a doll.


I'll leave you with some piccies from my home, of RAINDROPS ON ROSES AND WHISKERS ON KITTENS. See you soon!

Love n Kisses
Shann xxxx



Saturday 21 February 2009

TWEAKIN' THE KITCHEN...WITH A SLEDGEHAMMER !

Threes just no other title for this post...because its exactly what we are doing!
My kitchen is currently VERY pink....and yes, while im a pink chick through and through, i am just in a stage where i want simple now, and white is the colour for me.
So the PINK KITCHEN in headed to the land of 'Where pink kitchens once ruled'.
BUT b4 the transformation of the cupboards etc can begin...the HUGE task of the floor was ahead of us.
ENTER a very handsome and fantastic hubby with a sledgehammer and a mission to make a lotta mess :)
Ok i scrounged around and found a few photos of my kitchen from ages ago so you can see the pink and the UGH hideous floor that i have turned a blind eye to for the past 3 years (how , i dont know). These pics are actually about a year old, the green wall has since been painted white and lots of 'knick knacks' moved etc etc.





Did you see the hideous floor? Pretty gross huh?

Well lookie now...the demolition begins here where the Front Pretty Room meets the kitchen.

Note the uh Protective clothing and footwear....

There was the occasional injury.....usually me yelling out " AHHHH IM HIT ! MAN DOWN MAN DOWN"

EVEN CUPBOARDS WERE NOT SAFE FROM THE SLEDGEHAMMER.Byeee Byee....
Now you see it...

Now you dont...p.s notice how much floor is done.


So we started on Thursday and last night (Friday) Shane came home and finished the whole kitchen floor (believe me, its a big area), he was a man on a mission!
Then today he tackled the hallway...oh yes, those tiles were even right down my hallway. Pics of that next post.
So...anyroad...the plan is polish the floorboards up (after i pull out all the nails and scrape concrete...sooo fun, NOT) and then i will be like a crazy woman with a paintbrush!

So stay tuned for part 2 of our kitchen makeover...it wont be long!

Oh b4 i go, i received my GORGEOUSLY YUMMY swap from Fiona, my partner in Dollys Vintage Heart Swap, i'll post the piccies next time i promise!


Pink Kisses and Bye For Now

Love Shann xx

P.S am i crazy because i am really enjoying tearing my kitchen apart???? LOL.

Saturday 14 February 2009

AN EASTER SWAP FOR THE KIDS

IM SOOOOO DARN EXCITED !!!! Yes i am.
Whats causing all this excitement you may ask???
WEll..... its this of course!



Yep, im taking the plunge AGAIN and hosting another swap.
BUT this time, its not a swap for us. It's for those gorgeous little rascals that fill our hearts with love and joy every day (ok, some days maybe not-so-much...but you know what i mean).
YEP i decided it was time the kids had some swappin fun like we all do.
I know how excited Sam is when a swap comes for me, or a parcel for him...and im sure all your kids are the same.
SO LETS GIVE THE KIDDIES A TURN!
WHAT DO YOU SAY???
ARE YOU WITH ME?????

***** HERE ARE THE SWAP ITEM DETAILS *****
The rules are simple...there are really no rules. Just try and get the kids involved in it as much as you can. Send items totalling no more than $15.00 value. Items can be ANYTHING EASTEREY (but please include at least one Chocolate Easter Egg/Bunny/Chick). Just HAVE FUN and DECORATE and PLAY.


All you have to do is leave a comment on this post AND an email address i can catch you on to send you a questionnaire.

IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE CHILD THATS A-OKAY...THE MORE THE MERRIER!
All ages welcome !!!!!


I will take sign ups until next Friday the 20th. Partners will be allocated by Sunday the 22nd.
Your swap will need to be sent out by March 20th to ensure it arrives by Easter.


SO COME ON AND HOP TO IT.
THIS WILL BE LOADS OF FUN FOR THE KIDS AND US TOO.


I know my Sam is already busting with excitement about it !

LOVE AND PINK KISSES ALWAYS

Shann xxxxx


Feel free to add the swap banner to your blog and spread the word!

Tuesday 10 February 2009

Painting Tables

Yep, I'm off my miserable "missing my boy at Kindergarten" backside, and I'm paintin up a storm! LOL.

Well, reality hit me and I thought maybe it was time i cleared the hallway of furniture, it was fast becoming an obstacle course AND Shane was starting to require regular blood transfusions to make up for the blood he kept losing every time he banged into something.....(chuckle chuckle) but geez you'd think he would have gotten used to them being there by now and worked himself out a safety route huh?

Anyroad, to keep things peaceful ive done 2 bedside tables so hubbs can see that there is light at the end of the hallway... (until i buy more stuff to fill the hallway back up...ssshhh dont tell Shane, let him have his joy for 5 minutes).

Before....a lil bit cute n country but hmmm i had something better in mind.


After....love this now...can i keep it...in the hallway maybe..???


Now for something a little Oh-So-Sweet for a girlie girl like me :)
Woops just realised i didn't take a b4 piccie. Oh well, it was brown anyway.

I painted the sides pink with my roses.


You can pop on over to My Ebay this week to check these pretties out!

Another great thing about clearing the hallway and painting.....keeping my mind occupied during this tragic time we are experiencing here in Australia. However my thoughts and prayers are never too far away.....

Be safe, be strong, be happy and DONT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF.

Love Shann xxx

Sunday 8 February 2009

The Strength of People

Here in Australia right now we are experiencing some of the worst weather the nation has seen for a long, long time.
In Queensland, flood waters are destroying homes, business' and livestock. Too much rain, too soon and for too long. Then not too far over in Victoria the exact opposite. Fires like you cannot imagine, or maybe in your worst nightmares you can.
And just like the flooding, the loss of homes, business' and livestock is heartbreaking....however the most devastating is the loss of lives....the tally stands at 26 now as i type this.
I simply cannot put to words how i feel when i watch the news and see images of this devastation. I cannot even imagine the emotions of everyone affected.
And i feel useless. Completely useless. All i can offer right now is a prayer and i know in my heart that it will be heard.


Please if you can, just send a little request to the man upstairs to watch over these amazing Australians as they fight for everything.

May they remain strong and brave and come through this nightmare together,safely.

With Love.....
Shannon, Shane and Sam xx

Wednesday 4 February 2009

Amusing Myself 101.

As they say...When the cats away...the mouse will play.

Well in my case it's kid at school, house to myself...boredom kicks in because this peace and quiet and new found 'me time' is kind of alien like to me...
So what better way to amuse myself than to play dress ups with a 7 week old kitten...

Excuse me folks...Royalty coming through...

Announcing..... Her Majesty Princess Charlie


Posing quite well i think....


Now where are those cute little dolls dresses....oops i said that too loud...she ran away..

ALAS.....

SOME members of The Royal Family were not impressed at all with my Tom-Foolary.
(some cats just have no sense of humour do they)


*please not: No Tiaras were damaged during filming*

I know, im losing the plot.

Tomorrow....Painting...walls, not cats, dont panic!
Enough of this monkeying around...time to get back to work!

LOL !

Love and Pink Kisses

slightly insane...Shann :)

Monday 2 February 2009

TEARDROPS AND TWEAKIN'

Today my boy started Kindergarten. BIG DAY !! I cant believe he is in Primary School now....makes me feel all old and emotional.
Im so proud of my lil guy. He did his very best to hold in the tears, and he managed right up til it was time for me to say Bye and give him a kiss. Thats when Niagra Falls exploded. I know some kids go off happily (as do some mums)...but i knew it would be hard for Sam and i. We have a very unique bond, he's the chips, im the gravy, you know, we go together :)
I tried my best in the tears department too...but who am i kidding i was a big sooky lala the minute i was out of his sight.
BUT im sure he is having a ball and has made soooo many new friends. I cant wait to pick him up and hear all about it (and give him the hugest hug and kiss ever).

Heres my boy looking all grown up :)



Now I snuck this picture in when he wasnt looking...A quiet moment with 'Stinky' before he had to leave.(Stinky is his toy giraffe that he's had since he was a baby)




So to keep myself busy today ive been tweakin a little bit around the house.
I had painted this arm chair white a few months ago and popped a rosie pink cover on it, but it needed a bit more of a tweak, a bit more white maybe...

A bed skirt and some pretty cushions and its done. Oh and No before you ask, im not going to iron that bed skirt..LOL ..i hate ironing and plus its too darn hot (and im sticking with that excuse i think).


So thats been my day.....only 1 more hour till i can pick Sam up.....buts who's counting hey :)

Im sure that now he's at school i'll be paintin' and tweakin' up a storm here !
I think Shane has already made me a list! LOL.

I hope all your kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews etc are enjoyng being back at school.
And PLEASE will someone tell me im not the only mum who's sad and crying like a big ole baby....

Love and Pink Kisses
Shann xx