Halloween in Australia

Hi all,

Happy Halloween! 

Halloween is actually quite a divisive issue here in Australia. You are either quite into Halloween and celebrate it or you are very against it. The shops here have really gotten into selling the paraphernalia in the last few years, and many of the younger people are very "into" it, but if you go through the suburbs knocking on doors trick-or-treating you will find many homes that have a sign saying "no halloween here" or simply do not answer their doors.

Halloween really has not been a thing we do here. I remember only one party I went to in my youth. I don't remember if we even dressed up, but apple bobbing was involved - bloody difficult thing to do that apple bobbing. My parents and friend's parents were never interested in celebrating it, so I have to admit that before our daughter got to the age of five we were the "no halloween" people ... It just seemed like another American holiday that we did not want to participate in (and various other bah-humbug excuses my hubby would sprout). But of course, now we have a child in our midst it seems like a bit of fun, and another excuse for her to dress up. 

We are off to a friend's house after school as she lives in an area where a few of the families all participate in the trick-or-treating so you don't go to houses where you would be rejected as such.

Miss J has a witch outfit and requested a broom. Hubby and I went to the "Reject Shop" this morning and found bunches of decorator stick things... some bits of string to tie it all together and we have a broom. I will post a photo of her in costume later. We grown-ups don't generally get dressed up as well to walk the kids around .... unless we are going to a specific party.

I am thinking that I may prepare earlier next year and ask the neighbours how they feel about it -- maybe give them some lollies to hand out if they are willing, and maybe decorate our place a bit if Miss J is still really keen on Halloween. I am not sure of the response as we are mainly in a retiree area and many of them do not see the point of it.

What about you .... really into it? Or a bit against? Not looking for major drama and lecturing here... just interested in what people enjoy celebrating.

Have a good one,

Lisa

Nappy Ship

Hi all,

Well, I have completed my first project in my new craft room. I was invited to a baby shower on the weekend and I've been trawling the internet for ideas for nappy cakes. I was going to make a motorbike (they are sooo cute!), but as both the mother and father-to-be are in the Navy I thought I'd give a ship a go.

I used 5mm presentation board to make the ship and covered it in pink wrapping paper. Filled it with nappies, muslin wraps, bibs, spoons, and baby socks. The "flight deck" was made from a wet wipes box covered in pink wrapping paper. Anchor was cut out on my cricut from the Going Places cartridge. The base was also 5mm presentation board and I covered it in material from my stash - looking for that ocean waves look!

Warship with a pink twist!

Prop looks a bit odd, spoons a bit too bendy.

Both parents-to-be have served on ANZAC ships so I tried to
copy the ship's design (as much as you can with nappies!)

I also made an explosion card -- cannot seem to stay away from them at the moment.

Paper and ribbon from the stash

Cot cut on the cricut from the Everyday Paper Dolls cartridge

You cannot see it clearly but I used the patterned paper
to make a pillow and quilt for the cot.

Butterflies from the stash. One is stuck to the cot and the
other two are on long pieces of acetate to make
them look like they are hanging in the air.

Now I am all in the mood for craft! I went to Spotlight this morning and they had Christmas stuff out. Since I am sick of leaving Christmas to the last minute I bought a couple of things to make and some decoration storage I've been looking at for ages. I am determined to get my act together this year ... homemade cards ARE going to be made and sent, unlike last year!

I hope all is well with everyone,

Lisa

Lucky Girl

Hi all,

Well the craft room project is nearly done ... just some handles on drawers to go.

I am so very lucky as you can see from the photo...

I am also lucky I had paid the deposit for the room before the roof replacement reared it's ugly head! 

My hubby is such an amazing guy. He put all the cupboards together himself, put the cupboards on the wall, levelled it all and will put all the handles on the moment he can. Once he starts on a project there is no stopping him.

As I type the roofing guys are making a racket above me. It's looking good, real good. They should be finished by Thursday arvo, then I will post before and after pictures.

Hope all is well with everyone, I'm off to another room for some quiet!

Lisa 

New Roof

Hi all,

Well life is pretty busy right now and school holidays are on, so I've got young Miss JR to entertain full time for two weeks as well. Got to say, though I am pretty happy with my lot in life. I read a great quote the other day about how "your life is someone else's dream", as in people would love to be where you are so be happy with what you have.

The people who sold us this house were sneaky little things and the building inspector we paid was a lazy little thing, so a few items were unknown to us until we started living in the house - i.e. leaky roof, termites and a very lumpy concrete floor in one room. The termites luckily are contained to a small place outside and can be dealt with (having not created much damage), and the concrete floor is now level.

The roof -- sigh. When we looked in the ceiling after we moved in the two tarps and a bucket were a big sign something was  wrong ....  urgent repairs were required, but luckily the lazy building inspector was convinced by us that he should pay for them since the issue was blatantly obvious (if only he'd looked). Our second building inspector recommended though, that the roof needed replacing as the pitch/design of the roof should never have had tiles on it. The repairs we had done are great for now, but we will continue to throw money at the roof over the years unless we do something about it. So, after a bit of soul searching and counting of cash we have bitten the bullet and are getting a new colourbond roof. I received news today that we are booked in to start next Monday! 

Yes, the people we bought from were obnoxious from the start. They made things difficult through the whole buying process, and were obviously sneaky and not quite as up front as one would have liked. This has changed our plans as to when we would do things to the house (i.e. no pool for a few years, sob!), but we did borrow more than we needed at the time of purchase so luckily with a little massaging of bank accounts we can afford to get all these things fixed. Also, anyone would love to live here, it is a wonderful place to be, gorgeous, just gorgeous.... So, hubby and I have decided that we refuse point blank to get upset or angry. The previous owners were very unhappy, bitter people who were not necessarily liked by all their neighbours, and are refusing to pay their realtor (for no justifiable reason than they are penny pinchers as well) and gosh, it really must take sooo much effort every day to be that unhappy. So we just simply REFUSE to waste our energy.

Both hubby and I have worked hard to get to where we are today and we have been incredibly lucky and blessed too, in many ways. Life is full of one step forward - two steps back moments, but gosh I've had some good times as well, and at the age of 42 I am living with the "water views" I thought I'd have to wait for retirement to have. We saw dolphins, ducks, pelicans and all sorts out the window today.....

So, long story short ...... basically that is how I feel today -- happy.

Lisa