a week with the P's ...

Leslie's is one of those blogs I have read from back to front. Devouring every word and being totally inspired by her crafting, homemaking, mothering, love for her husband and the Lord and for just being real. With Leslie you get the good and the bad and its all beautiful and it's all so her ....

and yes she is aware that I have stalked her for years too ;)

While reading her blog I always thought how cool it would be to meet her one day - little did I know I would actually get to see this become a reality. Leslie was the one who got to pick me up from LA airport when I flew in from Sydney. The first bloggy friend I got to meet and hug on my trip. I was SO excited when my plane arrived I could hardly wait and luckily got through customs in like 5 mins! And we got to spend a whole week together in beautiful Cali with her lovely little family too.

some of my favourite moments from staying with this family:

- Leslie praying over our first breakfast together, the week and the rest of the bloggy meet up girls just after she'd picked me up from the airport and we stopped for a bite to eat.

- the gps telling us to "make a u-turn" then when we made a u-turn to "make a u-turn"

- Leslie realizing this after about the fourth u turn :)

- The cute black board in the lounge room with a 'welcome Ms Katie' note when I arrived (wish I had taken a pic...)

- meeting Nick and the kids for the first time. Suddently all those pictures I had seen were moving and it was kinda surreal!

- being this boys crush

 - seeing the cuteness that is their new home.seriously seriously cute!

- Enjoying the Californian landscape. So different to Oz  aka hardly any trees and boulders on the hills, but  oh so lovely.

- constantly trying to get in the wrong side of the car and getting confused everytime we turned left and went ACROSS the intersection! 

- my little shadow Ry Ry  who would watch me every morning do my hair and makeup and always ask "katie what are you doing?"

- Giving Rylan my clean makeup brush and watching her brush it over her face while standing on her little step stool. Thrilled to be hanging out with 'Ms Katie' - precious!

- crazy hairstyles in the bathroom with Ry Ry and wearing my pretties (headbands)

- Sewing in the cutest craft room and sharing new music together.

- Fabric shopping and not realizing we had spend over 4 hours(?) in the one shop until Nick called and we saw it was dark outside! we may have been up to something...

 - 'Australianisms' and Nick and Leslie's face when I would say something that made perfect sense to me but they had absolutely no idea what i was talking about. like where's your 'bin''?

- the way that Aussies apparently 'chuck a lot of things' e.g. 'Chuck a yewie' 'Chuck a sickie' and one of Leslie's favs 'chuck a wobbly' 

- Rylan laughing over a youtube video of a wombat digging - so funny!

- outlet stores :)

 - Going to "Mickey's house" aka Disneyland!!! I'm not sure who was more excited, Rylan - or me.

- going on a water ride at Disneyland with Nick. Who somehow came out of it pretty much dry, while I could hardly walk properly because my jeans were absolutely SOAKING wet!

- Embarrassingly announcing to Nick that it wasn't just my jeans "even my undies were soaked through" - sorry Nick that was probably too much information :)

- the teacups - so fun!!

- Love how the girlies had our teacup spinning so fast and theres Nick in the background just lounging comfortably :)

- it's a small world!

- California adventure!!

- ummm the roller coaster at California adventure and the toy story game which was great cause it was one we were all able to go on it together.

  - crafting - even though we may have taken on more than we could chew!

- for Nick's enjoyment... 'shark biscuit'

- chatting with no interruptions or phone delays -  a dream come true hurray!

- shopping, shopping shopping!

- seeing the kids for the first time, especially Cade who we prayed so much for and threw such a special baby shower for.

- Seeing all sorts of handmade goodies and the scrappy journal from the shower in the kids nursery :)

-  Swedish Fish. I AM HOOKED!

- the bean game - oh Nick I wish we could of played more rounds!

- the excitement of the bean game

- 'stink beans' are for BOYS :)

- Rylan, Cade and myself tying ribbons to ourselves and goofing around taking silly pictures. Ok, Ok I may have been the instigator in this silly game!

-  finally receiving my Christmas Card, because Leslie forgot to put 'Australia' on the envelope and still had no idea why it hadn't reached me! I love her :)

- our plane trip on Southwest to Seattle where the hostess sang goodmorning and goodbye to us which ended with..."We hope you enjoyed our company... next time marry one of us and fly for free" and then the plane erupted in giggles and applause.

- meeting this amazing fellow blogger and having the sweetest yummiest picnic lunch at Laguna Beach.

 - seeing the condo in Orange County.

- "in the boonies"

- "out woop woop"

- Rylan's artwork for me - the first time she used scissors "like mamma"

- my "first time to Disneyland" badge

- Listening to Steve songs in the car "line, line, circle circle square square square square triangle triangle line"... and then yelling out "again again" while Rylan looked at me like I had LOST it!

- California pizza kitchen mmm  + now knowing that Americans call corriander - cilantro!

- those times where 'Morgan' would just sit on the coffee table, craft room table and join in with our conversation (on skype on my laptop).

- Late night sewing with Leslie, Morgan sitting on the table and Nick on the floor turning apron ties inside out.

- Making pretty aprons for some special ladies and having fun choosing fabric and notions according to each girls tastes and personalities.

- Hearing my parents on skype and actually thinking 'Oh my gosh they sound SO weird!'

- experiencing wallmart for the first time.

+ only a few not so great memories.. which included

- getting the stomach bug a few days after I arrived.

- Throwing up all over the bathroom floor of a family I just met

- then proceedings to flood the downstairs toilet (with totally clean water btw) while Leslie was out. Once again POOR Nick! I think I owe this guy a totally fun Aussie surfing holiday!

- Not getting up early enough - I think it must of been delayed jet lag but I feel like we could of fit so much more in!

- Not taking enough photos together! umm and I have not one of Nick and I or Ry and I. so sad guys! :(

- saying goodbye to Les at Seabrook. where we both teared up and I feel like I didn't get to say anything I was really feeling!!

something along the lines of ..

 thank you P's for your love and friendship and for letting me into your life and your everyday. I loved every minute of it (well maybe minus the stomach bug thing). You are an amazing family your love and strength and friendship are so inspiring to me and your children are so beautiful - I just love you all. Oh and please please please come to visit us in Aus one day!! pleeeaaasssee .... cause I miss you and Morgan would like to chat to you while sitting on a chair and not on the table and I think we need another round of the bean game ;)

kt xx

ps. all photos totally unedited because otherwise I knew I'd never get them up! 
More on this part of my trip here.

I need.

This swimsuit for my honeymoon. how cute and stylish is it?!

I already have a lovely and fairly new bikini but I feel like I need a stylish and flattering one piece too.

And from all the reviews I have read it seems like Shabby Apple swimwear are a lovely cut too ie. not skimpy around the butt area. I have such a problem every summer finding a nice fitting swimsuit that actually covers my bottom area - so not a fan of skimpy cut swimsuits which is um ... basically every 'unfrumpy' swimsuit out there on the market. I mean I'm not unhappy with my butt size or anything but I don't really feel comfortable walking around the beach with a permanant wedgie either. I prefer some sort of support people!

but enough about butts ...

Now the question... do I want it in sweet sexy black or fiery and hot ruby red?!

I heart Amy.

love my in-laws-to-be...

look what they brought me for my birthday!!

ooh I have wanted this book forever!

Things from this book that I am just itching to make:

decorative patchwork throw

image from here.

wide leg lounge pants

from here.

desktop organizer

from here.

 Fashion checkbook clutch

from here. 

clutch handbag with fabric flower

from here. 

Patchwork handbag

from here.  

And I don't know how I quite missed this but Amy Butler has a new sewing book coming out in August this year. It is available for pre order on both Amazon and the Book Depositry right now and I may have just added it to my wishlist :)

ps. Have you heard about the book depositary? Even though it is a UK site, I love that they list items in AUD dollars and they have free shipping worldwide (US is on this list too). This means that for me it's often cheaper to purchase and ship from the UK than to buy a book at my local Boarder or Angus and Roberson - isn't this silly! 

what about you, what are you sewing or crafting up right now?

ps. I can't believe today is the 1st of JULY today! can you!?

I miss the sunshine!

its so cold here in Sydney tonight...
3 degrees cold (thats 37.4 degrees Fahrenheit!) 
it sounds so much more impressive in celsius...

I'm wishing I were back here. California dreaming it up.

With the waves at my feet, enjoying theme parks, those tall tall palms and soaking in the bleached sun.

Summer - I MISS you!!

ps. more photos (and words) from my US trip to come soon.

the following images from California Adventure, Disneyland and Santa Monica.

been having fun with images here.

dry me.

I just came across this great online tea towel shop 'To Dry For' via Young House Love and I just love all their designs.  I've always had a soft spot for fun and funky dishtowels (I brought some cute birdy ones at Spotlight the other day that I plan to put some fun colourful poms on).
Here are some of my favourites:

I think I also need to get this one for M because it is totally his humor and maybe, just maybe if he owned it then he would believe in wiping up - or then again maybe not :)

The one where I admit I don't have it all together ...

One of the reasons I haven't been blogging recently I've been struggling a little lately ...
with lots of little and big things...

with wedding stresses and decisions - Have I mentioned how we dropped M's suit of to be altered and they completely butchered it?! ...
with being 'unemployed' right now and trying to get into my chosen career in a market that doesn't seem to have many opportunities for a recent college graduate ... (it's scary and humbling to watch your bank account dwindle while not being able to keep topping it up. But then I don't want to complain because I do have some amazing work coming in - paid interior design experience. Which is great but also hard because it's rather sporadic work, paid monthly and takes up a lot of job hunting time) ...
With receiving 'unsuccessful applications' for simple reception jobs - something I hoped would tie me over till something in the design field came up - and with a wedding coming up, a dress and honeymoon that needs to be paid for - it's all kinda scary ...
Like desperately needing new car tyres and being a victim of a shopping center hit and run (I now have a lovely scratch up the side of my car) ...
Of still trying to find 'our' church home where we can serve and grow and  a cell group to be part of too. Because spiritually I am feeling quite dry right now....
And then there's stupid things like being a baby about Sydney winters - which I think are freezing but now know are kinda like Seattle and Chicago springs! - yup BIG baby who shouldn't complain, I know. But this season is so not my favourite! ...
that and there's nothing new and exciting to report here.
No crafting. No real silly fun times.

In all of this I feel like I've lost a little bit of me too.

While having a lovely chat with this lady awhile ago. We talked about how we all want everyone to think that we have it together all the time. and it's true.
But the truth is I don't have it all together, because I am a human and the truth is we constantly goof up and fall apart and make mistakes and one thing I am learning a little more and more during this season is there is one thing to see me through - one thing to cling to and trust upon ...
My saviour Jesus Christ.
And that's what I'm trying to do and relying on right now.
Because seasons, they don't last forever but my God, he surely will. 

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

pretty.

No words today (hopefully soon) but here are some more of our favourite engagement photos... they make me smile.  A little over 4 months to go till the big day. I can't believe we are getting so close now - I still have SO much to do! Remembering to breathe and lift it all up to the Lord (or at least trying to) :)

seven sushi rolls.

Some days you just need to stay in your jim jams until 3pm and make sushi... lots and LOTS of sushi. Because when things have been busy and stressful it's sometimes good for you to step back and do something you enjoy. Something simple and relaxing and ... delicious! And sometimes you need to spice it up a bit and make bacon and egg sushi rolls. Because all sushi is healthy right??!
It's been one of those weeks.. months...
I am trying to get back to posting here regularly I really really am ....
I have month old posts half written and no words to finish them off.
Hopefully soon.

Until then enjoy this link to Bakerella's Red Velvet Cake Balls Like I have been.
And her cake pops too
Aren't they cute?
I am hoping to make a few of these for our wedding :)

seven.

The lovely Kat from Tea and Cupcakes has tagged me to answer this seven question meme. Which is great because hopefully this will help me get out of my non-blogging rut and back into full swing posting around here?! Well we can hope :)

So thanks for choosing me to play along Kat and here are my answers:

1.what is your favourite food?

Ummm… 
This question is hard because I really REALLY like food! Also this past year has seen such a change in our household menu and also our tastes - so much so that this topic will have to be saved for another post. But one thing I can never resist when it's sitting in front of me is brie or cambert cheese and bikkies :) My fav take away would probably be Thai - or recently Vietnamese. And I crave fresh organic salads and juices (my current favourite being apple, pear and carrot juice), home guacamole, brushetta and lots of fresh herbs in every meal - my adore corriander and basil! I am also a BIG sushi fan. And enjoy making home made sushi - a lot! And then on the other side of this (the more unhealthy Kt side) after my recent US trip M and I have been enjoying smores in front of the fireplace at night - He loves them so that I think we may need CM care packages around here soon when our supplies run out so he can survive! ;) side note: does anyone know what bikkies we have here in Aus that are like graham crackers?
see I told you that I LOVE food!

2. What is your favourite childhood memory?

I am lucky to have had a really blessed and amazing childhood, it holds a lot of truly lovely memories. Our two week holidays to Moreton Island (off the Coast of Brisbane) hold some of the best. Mum and dad would pull us out of school for a week or two and we would pack the car full, leave home very early in the morning and spend our time swimming, beaching, 4wdriving, being pulled along behind the car on sand boards, playing with solider crabs and running up and down sandunes. Also too each trip dad would make a new sand board - which he wouldn't unveil until we were ready to leave or already at out destination. It was always exciting to see what he had come up with and how fast we could slide down the hills with it.

A close second memory is the time my crazy cousins and I were in my grandparents spa and it started to hail slightly. So instead of getting out like sensible children we instead dragged the plastic childrens chair and table set into the spa with us and held them above our heads. All except Sarey - who instead insisted on sitting there with my brothers baby floating ring on her head and making the small hail stones bounce comically of it. I love this memory because it always makes me laugh and is such a Sarey thing to do - I love how she still has that fun sense of humour!

3. What is your guilty pleasure?

Buying real living magazines - even though we monthly get sent Home Beautiful, Vogue Living and Inside out magazines too. There's just something about Real Living that totally clicks with my personal taste (and probably budget too). You can check out their blog here.

I'd also have to say fabric and craft supplies that are brought for no reason other than the fact that I liked them at the time, they inspired me and thought it could be used on a possible one day project - a rainy day kinda stash!

4. If you won $1 million tomorrow what would you do with it?

I know we would definetly buy a property that could get us a great start in life. But I wouldn't be able to keep all the money to myself. In our life M and I simply want to be 'blessed to be a blessing' and be able to have the ability to give to people in need. Some of the money would be put towards really helping people who do not have what we take for granted here in the Western world and also to help family. Was that a boring answer of what :)

5.who is your biggest inspiration?

Blogs and the amazing online crafty community out there.

But because that is such a broad answer I thought I would share the two blogs that have me at hello right now ...
smile and wave by Rachel Bowden  + ashleyannphotography

Because they have amazing homes done on a budget and with unique DIY projects, they also have great eyes for design and tonnes of eye candy on every blog post!

see ...

All images are from Ashley Ann's website.

6.what are you reading at the moment?

My parents church and small group have been going through the Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren and so M and I joined in too. We've finished now but I'm still reading because I am behind. I would so recommend this book - it is really clear on the bibles perspective of not just how to live your life - but how to live with purpose and really held some lovely eye openers for me. I am also still reading Before you plan your wedding plan your marriage by Greg + Erin Smalley, What Katy Did (an absolute childhood fav) and our date book too.

 7. If you had a theme song what would it be?

Wow I found this question really hard! So I txt'd M to which he replied "I don't know hun. You are so many things!" Which I thought was kinda a sweet compliment and probably quite true, especially right now. All I know is my theme song would be a total mix of tunes, genres and lyrics. It would be soft and mellow and sweet but fun to dance along with too :)

SO now I tag Fairlight, Chelle, Jacy, Leslie, Amanda, Cassie and my newest bloggy friend Becky. Who is new to blogging - so why dont you stop on over and say hi :)

oh and my questions are:
1. What book(s) are you currently reading right now?
2. Whats your favourite song ever - or just right now?
3. Whats the best piece of advice (funny or sweet) that anyone has ever given you?
4. What is the once place that you really want to visit that you haven't been to before?
5. What is your most embarassing moment?
6. What is one of your favourite family traditions you have?
7. What is something fun and inspiring you have seen online lately and would like to share with us all?