awake at the wrong time

uuggh it's 2:43 am and I am once again up still trying to get this assessment done. I am so so almost there if I can stop getting distracted by pretty kitchen pictures :) Like this shot above - I think I could do with a coffee in a cute orange cup made in a cute orange kitchen right about now - you too ? :)

oh boy what a week/end it has been and I totally forgot - not only do we have mum's party this Saturday but also a Cancer Council gig that Morgan is playing at on Friday night and a friend's 21st on Saturday night (mum's party is during the day) oh my! at least this assessment will be out of the way and holidays are coming up.

until then I will breathe. Ever. so. deeply and ....
sleep an awful lot on the train in the meantime :D

4 stu

Dear sweet baby brother,

Baby you are definitely no longer. Today marked the 16th year of your life and the gap from 15 to 16 already seems so large. For one thing this week you are going for your learner's driving license. Which means you will be driving, on the road - oh boy! But I am sure you will do great and I am so excited to get to teach you how to drive and hang out the two of us just driving around. Just please don't wear my clutch out too much ;)

Being 5 years older than you I can still remember slightly the excitement of your arrival (the way I was desperately praying for a baby sister) , the day you were born and even the restaurant we went to the night you came home from the hospital. I have such fun memories of our childhood together and yeah I did love the way you followed me around and knew I was the one in charge ;). And I am sorry for the time I made you eat dog food! You are still just as much of a snuggle bug as you are in this picture (hope you don't mind me putting that all over the internet). And I love that you don't think your too old or too cool to come and give me a hug or even the way you jumped in bed with me this morning cause you were so excited it was your day - please don't ever change and lets be close like that forever.

You are a great guy Stu and God has such big plans for your life. Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways ackowledge him and he will direct your path." and that is my prayer for you in everything you do that you seek God and praise him in all circumstances & he will lead you into a life more amazing than you could of ever dreamed possible.

Love you Maaang!
xxx

ps. I know you read this blog so hoping this little post brings a smile to your face.

I love this smile...

Continuing on in the week of birthdays...
Happy Birthday Mummy!
see 50's not so bad huh, kinda the same as 49 just with new homewares (aka presents) :)
Hope you had the most loveliest day.
& sorry this post is so short.. I have exactly 4 mins until it is officially not your day, but Stu's and then there is that silly assessment which is still not finished so I must be short and to the point...

Which mainly is, I Love you Beautiful!
your doting daughter
x

invited

Well I haven't shared much craftyness here lately, huh? Although I assure you there has been quite a bit of creativity happening around here (mostly all school related though). So I thought I'd share the invites I made for mum's 50th birthday party, which is next Saturday.

It took me ages to get inspiration for these little guys and I'm currently mad at Spotlight for their poor stock of products. The lovely little art shop near me has closed *sniff* and I have found Spotlights range to be lacking. side note - am also still waiting for them to restock the 25mm self cover fabric buttons - it's been over three months now and I actually put an order in!! The invites also come in the two different colours as they didn't have enough of either colour cards in stock!
ok rant aside..
I decided to try and make it simpler to assemble - get a pack of pre-made cards, print the info and paste inside and just decorate the front. Which maybe in the end wasn't simpler!
The green paper is actually from Officeworks - they actually have some very pretty patterned and textured papers for invites etc (these sheets were handmade in India and a little pricey but totally worth it!) The dots are all random scrapbooking paper. And yes, I did trace and cut all those circles out by hand (mostly on the train on the way to and from college) - I think I might have been too ambicious with this idea! My dear scrapbooking-crazy friend Niki (who has been leaving sweet little comments around here lately) has advised me that I could of used her circle punch - I'm holding you to this offer next time I decide to do soemthing crazy like this Niki!
& thanks to the parents for helping in our little production line so we could actually get them off in the post before the party date :)

and... this was just me playing around with my camera. It still excites me how I can change the depth of field and which part of the image I want in focus. Geeky huh!

Happy Day

Dear sweet birthday boy.
Today is your special day. This day that all those years ago you choose to arrive in the world. The day that made the world a better place & put a smile on so many people's lips.

Do you know just how much you mean to me?
It's a lot!
And I'm afraid these words will be quite inadequate...

Thank you boy for loving me and for putting up with me in my stressed out and silly moments. For making me laugh, and even making me cry (in the best possible way of course!) For taking my hand and holding on tight - come whatever may. For loving my family as your own - you know you are already considered a big brother and a son - and are very loved by the 'Macs'.

It is a pity that today you are working and I am in Sydney at school.
But tonight I will rush home and we will dress up and go out to dinner.
And I promise we will laugh and chat and grin at each other like we always do when it's just us.
We will talk about the future and share our dreams.
And when I glance across the table at you I will smile.
And deep inside I will know.
That you are my perfect match and I am blessed beyond measure.
We will enjoy being carefree and young and soaking up this moment right here, right now.
And for the next three short months you will only be one year younger than me - but that is ok because I know you were made for me anyway.

Enjoy this next year of your life hun..
May you continue to grow in your walk with Christ and continue to strive to become more like him.
I know God has blessed our relationship & I am so thankful to have you.

and very importantly...
I love you.
and I always always will!

twenty1

Photo taken at my yr 12 formal 2006.

Just wanting to wish my dear friend Luke who turns 21 today a very Happy Birthday - the Happiest of all birthdays!

This guy is probably my oldest friend, but still remains one of my dearest. We have both attended the same church since we were about 7 and I have so many good memories of our time together. Little jokes, our tap dance together (when we were about 8), church barn dances & camps, days at the beach with school friends, teenage parties, Saturday shifts at Subway together...
He is the first guy I ever had a crush on (we're talking primary school well into high school!) and I think it's safe to say I may have been his first crush too! hehe

Luke is the type of friend who you want to be around, who is uplifting and silly but you can have totally deep conversations about life with. Who loves to catch up and chat (actually he really loves to chat lol!) He is a super caring friend too - like the time he took me out for lunch for my birthday as I was home all alone. He is also an awesome man of god and just talking to him (or visiting his blog) for 5 mins you can tell God is the center of his world, his strength and his hope. Not only that but this guy is super talented. Plays guitar, keys and has an amazing voice (he was even my singing teacher for awhile there and was even in a band that travelled around Australia as well as our churches amazingly talented worship leader!)

So Happy Birthday Luke wishing and praying for only the best for you this year and beyond (& for that Mrs T to arrive soon!)

Love you
Kt (& Morgs) x

It's Crazy!

Hi all!
Sorry it's been awhile hasn't it?
Things have been good here. Just rather busy...

Firstly, some fun things that have been happening since the last time I posted:

- After much careful deliberation I finally decided on and got the blue ipod nano. (I was wanting the green but my brother has it in green and I just knew we'd end up mixing them up at least once). I love it & can't believe how thin it is! I also wanted the 16GB one but all the stores only had yucky colours left and so I was a super girly and went for the 8GB, simply because the colours were nicer! I also love the shuffle feature how you shake the ipod in your hand and it changes songs for you - awesome! and it is making that train trip a whole lot nicer!

- After even MORE deliberation I finally decided on the Macbook laptop. The Windows vs Mac debate went on for a few weeks, I'm really happy with the Mac already, it has some really great features, like Photo Booth:
Just still figuring out where everything is located. Do any of you use a Mac? And is it bad if I mention I am more than super excited about the prospect of blog surfing and watching movies while lazing about in bed? Counting down the days till our broadband is all sorted.

- Morgan also brought a laptop. A super sleek black Dell, although he has had a few troubles with it already, poor boy :(

- Have almost learned how to handle my super duper heavy duty HEAVY tape measure without looking like a complete dofus! (I had to measure my room for a Drafting class - I actually really enjoy drawing plans up!)

- Finally found and PURCHASED a chair for my room!!! which I found in this amazing antique shop in Lane Cove (for a rather small amount of money). It has wooden arms, fabric back and seat and is fairly low lying. The fabric needs reupholstering (hello Amy Butler!) and the wood needs sanding back but it is perfect! I'll make sure I post up the end result, I'm excited to get started in the school holidays coming up (oh that sounds so weird to say that again!)

- caught up with an old friend from my junior highschool days on the train & talked non stop all the way home - almost 5 years of talking to do!

- Had a fun excursion today to Academy Tiles. Wow! these guys have some amazing tiles like out of wood, or with digital images, stainless steel, beautiful mosaics, tiles where lights reflect through the embeded perspect, tiles with sparkles & beautiful intricate patterns. Who knew tiles could be SO much fun!?
and even these interactive liquid floor tiles, where the liquid moves when you walk on them!

- Also dropped into Baresque who sell wallcoverings and commercial grade upholstery fabrics. The wallcoverings are kinda like ultramodern wallpaper with amazing textures, patterns, shiny surfaces, matt surfaces & so beautiful!

On top of all this March is a very busy month for us...

It is the boyfriends birthday.
The Mother's birthday, which is the day before...
The brother's birthday. He is old enough to get his Learners permit this year!! and guess who will be helping to teach him to drive!
the best friends 21st birthday & party.
The brother's big school rowing regatta.
Another close friends engagement party (Morgan is in the bridal party).
& plenty of due assignments. Not that I'm complaining they're actually enjoyable to do and involve painting and picking fabric samples and materials etc!
The Mother's birthday party. I voluntereed to make all the invites - it took ages! will show soon.

image from Baresque.

ok off to bed now hope you enjoyed the 'update'
x

Flashback Friday: Cool Dad Edition

I love old shots like this of my parents.
Shots that aren't really 'posed' but are just them acting silly. Around the same age I am now..
And I may be biased, but I think their both totally good looking (despite dad's facial expression!)
& mum I wished you'd kept those sunnies!
Well off to catch the train now have a great Friday everyone & blissfully enjoy your weekend.
Mine is already looking so busy (but FUN!) !!

white.

photo by morgan.

I love white on white.
There's just something about it which is so calm and serene.

I'm trying to enhance my photography skills and am now shooting on full manual mode! and it's not as hard as I first thought. Morgan has been having a go too. These shots are unedited (trying not to rely on lightroom fixing up all my shots anymore!) and were taken late one afternoon inside, with no flash. I probably should of upped the ISO, but didn't want them to get too grainy. Or made the f-stop larger to get brighter shots, I think it was on 4.5 or 5.6?
I am finding this site very helpful. It's full of tutorials, assignments (if you want to give them ago) and well written handy information.
So stay tuned for hopefully more improved photography on the blog this year :)

photo by me.

ps. Am I the only one who feels like a cup of tea after looking at this post?

Frills at the laundromat

She's done it again! Check out Kathleen over at Grosgrain's latest creation. I would wear this dress to college almost. every. single. day. It's so beautiful! And if you don't already you should definitely follow this blog - Kathleen is so inspiring and creative and I personally think she makes the cutest model!

The ring

image by Raya of the paper pony.

So lately Morgan and I have been talking about marriage, well really we've always talked about it, but lately it's been more about planning our finances, saving for a house and more fun things... like engagement rings...

Thing is I know he wants to surprise me with a ring. The part of me who loves surprises adores this idea and the other part of me wants to help choose it. I'm a very sentimental person and this for me would be a forever ring. Plus it's not a cheap investment..
I have a folder saved on my computer named 'for your information' which he is well aware of. It's full of white gold antique style engagement rings with little diamonds encrusted around the band. But there's one thing about seeing a picture of a ring and actually seeing it on your own hand - I have really skinny long fingers and don't want to get anything that looks too 'bulky'.

...and the idea of trying on diamonds is kinda thrilling!

My parents were in a furniture shop looking at leather lounges when my dad proposed. Mum sat on the couch to 'try it out' and dad went down on one knee. When she said yes he said lets get a ring. She thought he meant sometime soon. He meant right then and had her sister waiting in a jewelry shop where she knew the owner.

am I being silly here?
I think I try to plan too much, huh!

So what about you ladies? I know the majority of my readers are blissfully wed and each wear a pretty sparkly on her finger. So tell me the story behind your ring, either by leaving a comment or a link to a blog post maybe even with a photo :) Thought these stories might be a little fun to share around :)

ps. he sent me an email with a picture of a pretty ring today, very much the style I like. - this is why we call him 'CM'.

for tunes.

So I have finally decided on which type of ipod I would like. That train trip is getting a bit much without the loveliness of music. Plus I would love the block out that annoying person who is always speaking so loudly into their mobile phone while the rest of the train sits in silence. Why does every train have such a person!? I did originally want the ipod touch, which morgan just got recently. It's so fun and I do love the internet feature and zooming in on the screen :) But I have decided on the nano, mostly because of it's practical reasons - it's so small. and so light. Which is great cause I already have to lug around so much stuff with me to and from Sydney everyday. My portfolio is huge!

But now I have a new dilehma... I don't know what colour to get!?!
oh woe is me! :D
tell me... whats your favourite?

furniture crush

I have been looking for a unit for my bedroom for a little over a year now.
I have two blank walls and a huge area near my desk in which a storage unit would be perfect. & I am in need of some storage for my new art supplies for college. Seeings our house sale fell through and it looks like we may be staying put for awhile I am back on the hunt.

I have had a serious furniture crush on this 'Shutters' range from Domayne ever since I saw it in the December edition of Real Living (particularly the bottom left unit). It's got all the features I want - it's white, has drawers and cupboards and interesting features - the handles and slatting. Plus in a few years time I am vividly seeing it in our guest room, sewing room, hallway, maybe even our room :)
The only problem?... the $1,299 price tag (yeah that's only the drawer/cupboard module - eek!) As much as I love this unit it is definitely not in my student budget, heck it wasn't even in my full time employed budget! sigh..

I guess I'm just spoiled like that always having a dad who was able to build furniture for less than half the price of furiture shops. (He custom made all my bedroom furniture ( queen bed, 2 x bedside tables and chest of drawers) for the price of the materials, around $300!! I know his time has to be taken into account but with furniture that is made in bulk, it just shows how much they up the prices huh!? He's a bit busy with work at the moment but said he'll see how he goes and may be able to make it for me, that is unless I am lucky enough to find a similar style unit in a second hand shop or by the side of the road. I have been looking :)
Does anyone else know where I would find a similar unit/any shops online (US or Aus) where I could find ideas for a white storage unit?

I think it would look awesome in that corner along with a wooden/fabric armchair reupholstered in some Amy Butler fabric and this side table, which I have also been drooling over for a couple of months now - in white.
lovely huh :)

above image from Australian Home Beautiful Sept 2007.

similar side table in Nicole from Making it Lovely's guest room (similiar style chair I am looking for too, but fabric not vinyl - does anyone know what this style is called?)