My Valentine Swap Arrived!

I took part in Dollys Valentine Swap and my parcel arrived a couple of days ago. My partner was Susan from Black Eyed Susans Kitchen. I was so excited as I opened it. Susan you went all out. Everything is just so awesome. Firstly the fragrance that came out as I opened the box was just delicious.

There are hand made hearts in pink and red. So Clever. A heart shaped box filled with American chocolates. Shortly after the photo they were gone Yum!

Susan had put in a rose scented sachet. Next a gorgeous white hand towel trimmed with pink x's and o's,

A pair of heart socks .....ready for winter....a gorgeous tussie made from a vintage music sheet trimmed with lace and glittered.

And inside a pack of hot chocolate mix complete with tiny marshmallows. That will be gone tonight!!!!

a tiny pad which says "ever stop to think and forget to start again". Susan you know me better than I thought hehe....memory what memory.......... I need this pad more than you think:)

and lastly my absolute favourite. In fact when I fished it out I put it on straight away and kept it on all day. It so matched the pink striped shirt I had on. Just look at this gorgeous silver bracelet with pink beads and silver hearts. It is just gorgeous and I loooooove it!

So thank you so much Susan, you are the best.
By the way in my haste to get my parcel to Susan away I forgot to take photos....see I told you I didn't have a memory :) Click here to see for yourself at Susans blog.
Have a great week
Linda

WOW I HIT PAYDIRT!!!

This week I hit Paydirt!!! Yesterday I was passing my local op shop which is usually closed during the school holidays. Anyways I was OPEN so I popped back during my lunch break.
And BOY was I glad I DID!?!? There sitting in a pile of blankets were these two beauties. Now I just love vintage quilts and these are GORGEOUS!!! I even lost my car keys momentarily as I happy danced to pay for them :)) Luckily I found them quickly. Oooh they are in such good condition ..just a bit grubby along the edges...but I don;t mind. And I had to hide them when I got them home...I have so many... I buy them so I can sell them on Ebay but I am keeping more and more and my family have labelled me a serial bowerbird......I guess its serious he he I can hardly get into my Ebay room :)) But I am keeping them BOTH....Yes I am......Don't you love them...I do...and did I say I'm keeping them...

Then this morning I went to the local Senior Citizens Market. Its ok, lots of fruit and baked goods. But today someone was clearing out their sewing box...so I picked up more vintage ribbon, buttons and a couple of pretty vintage aprons......some will make it to Ebay but I am finding it harder and harder to part with these treasures....I think I am incurable :)) Photos to follow when I can find my camera amongst all my goodies.
Well have a GREAT weekend!!
Linda

I've Been Tagged

Thanks to the gorgeous Dolly from "From My Cherry Heart" I have received my first tag. I am really appreciative but Not sure at all how to copy the links etc. Weird things about me I can find lots of but the computer stuff is a tad challenging. So here goes :))

Yay it worked!!! Now just to remember just how I did it. Now with a memory like mine.............Oh Dear....... Now the rules...

THE RULES: Link to the 3 lovely ladies that tagged me Sher, CatieAn and Tamy. {above}

Post the rules on your blog.

Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog. {Yikes do you really want to know this stuff?}

Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

7 random and/or weird facts about Me.....

1. I have to do everything in a certain order otherwise it really throws me. I play the same games on the computer and in strict order, routine in the morning is the same every day otherwise I get to work late?!?!?......Obsessive compulsive or what?
2. I will eat just about anything or so my husband says?!?! I grew up in the east and tried alot of strange things. And I just Loooove asian food.
3. As a child I hated tomatoes and beetroot. Now I love beetroot but am still not too fond of tomatoes. And neither are my daughters but my husband and son love them.
4. I have a thing for numbers. I can remember long strings of numbers and remember most phone numbers after using them just a couple of times.
5. I also have a thing for number plates. I recognise all my friends cars from their number plates and I match the letters to peoples personalities.
6. I have given all our dogs middle names.
7. I'd rather mow the lawn than cook a meal. and just to slip another one in....I haven't worn a skirt for at least 2 years. I just find pants so much more comfortable?!?!?!?.....................
Now I have to tag 7 people....lets see.......I am going to cheat just a bit......Oh and did I tell you one last thing about me?.............I always break the rules he he......... So I am going to tag all the pretty chicers.............go for it girls...........:)))))

Happy New Year

From Raspberry*Roses

Happy New Year everyone. The last part of 2007 passed with not too much drama...did I say that?!? My husband Don had his heart operation and is doing well. Its a slow process but he is getting there. And I have changed my job. Hopefully it will be less stressful....well I can only hope :)
Late in 2007 I took part in Joyce's Secret Santa Swap. I had to send my gift to Jullie and you can see what I sent her on her blog. I received my santa gift from the delightful Shirley. Heres what she sent me. Aren't they just gorgeous. I don;t know how she knew that I just love photo frames and this white one will look great in my bedroom. The second part of the gift was the prettiest toilet bag complete with sparkly zip pull. Thanks so much Shirley which girl isn't made about shoes and handbags..... I am going to get alot of use out of these darling gifts. Sorry for taking so long to get these photos to my blog but my camera died a couple of months ago and I had to wait until Christmas to get my new PINK Camera. Woohoo....

Didn't I tell you they are gorgeous!

I have had the past week off... Yay and have been doing a little creating. I have seen some gorgeous examples of altered art when reading your blogs so I have tried it this week. Take a peek.....can you tell I love pastel pinks and green???

I found these tiny frames at a market, there were five originally bit the frames are so delicate that I broke two straight away. I prettied them up with some white paint and framed some gorgeous pink roses fabric. I just love them and they cost a couple of dollars....how sweet is that..I can see them being included in a future swap.....

These last two are something I saw on another blog and borrowed the idea. They would look gorgeous on a white feather tree....and so easy....

And lastly I wanted to share a few op shop finds. I have been drooling over photos of other thrifty purchases and I couldn't believe my eyes when I came across this lot of vintage ribbon, ric rac and buttons recently. And the whole lot cost me $8.50. Included is a whole roll of cream ribbon decorated with florals and scrolls, its swiss and cost the most at a whole dollar. Everything else cost just a few cents each. Needless to say I bought everything they had.....

I hope to put them all to good use ......

Oh and by the way I will be starting up on Ebay again in the next week or so. I have been accumulating so many treasures over the past few months that my Ebay cupboard is positively groaning under its weight. So come and visit I trade as Raspberry*Roses.

And I have just signed up for a Valentines Swap. Visit Dolly from http://frommycherryheart.blogspot.com before January 9 to join.......

I would like to thank the gorgeous gals from the Pretty Chic Group for their support and kindness since I joined the group. I have never met so many lovely people who are genuine and so damn NICE......I have laughed and cried with you all and my inbox has never been so full....I am looking forward to many many more conversations and I promise to participate more this year ..........huggs to you all :))))))

Heart Surgery

Three posts in one day.....but I just couldn't add this to the others as it is so important and may change my life forever.....my darling husband was told on Thursday that he needed open heart surgery to fix an ascending aortic aneurysm...we knew about it 6 months ago but it was only spoken about as an enlargement....but in the past 6 months it has grown so much so that something has to be done...and NOW!
So we were sent home for the weekend as Hospitals are FULL OF GERMS! We go back down tomorrow (Monday) to see the surgeon and I guess have surgery as soon as they can arrange it.....I can't believe that the person I love most in the world may not be around after next week.....we have been together for 30 years...we know what the other is thinking about, finish each others sentences..


I hope and pray that our guardian angel is looking after him and sends him back to me after the operation............

Tussie Mussie Swap

I recently took part in Jullies Tussie Mussie Swap. Well it arrived on Monday which was a day filled with good and bad things. Good things first, bad things later........... And her parcel just made my day. She is just the Sweetest Angel and she packed my gorgeous tussie with so many beautiful things. It made me feel truly special to think that she had put so much thought, care and love into making me the bestest tussie ever. Jullie, I thank you so much. I have not known you for long but I feel like I've known you forever. YOU are one very SPECIAL lady. I have taken photos to show just how gorgeous my tussie is and the special things that she filled it with..........

This is the gorgeous box my beautiful tussie arrived in. Complete with pretty blue ribbon....

This is what it looked like as I opened it........filled with treasure...

My beautiful tussie.....isn't it just the best thing?.......I just looooove it so much. Jullie also made the sweetest tag to go with it.........


This is what filled my tussie....it just smells so nice...it had a strong roses and victorian theme....all the things I absolutely love...sweet smelling rose petals, victorian tags, stickers earrings, the nicest hand towel (how did she know I collected them?), a tiny lipstick, pink chocolate coins, tiny eggs and even a gorgeous tea bag and tiny sugar cube....I am saving for that special time....Wow I am just gobsmacked at Jullies generosity...I am so lucky.....


Close up of some of my pretties.......I took a photo of the rest but it was just too blurry.......


Don't you just love it.......it is so special.........the next photos are of the tussie I made for my partner Wanda.....so Wanda please don't look any further or you will spoil your surprise....I had so much fun making it and thinking of things to put in her tussie...I hope she likes it...I added an Aussie twist with some Aussie stickers and a parrot doilie set......



Wanda wanted a Halloween theme so I hope that I have lived up to her expectation ..................



Here's the close up..................
Wanda if you have had a look its on its way to you tomorrow.......

Tribute To Mum and Don

My beautiful Mother passed away on the 10th September two weeks short of her 82nd birthday. She had suffered from Alzheimers for many years prior and had been in a nursing home for the past 12 months. I was with her when she passed and feel priveleged and honoured to send her on her final journey. She was the strongest woman I know and has passed her quiet strength to both her daughters and also to her grandaughters. All I know is that when I left home and had a family of my own, she was always happy to see me and always sad to see me go. I always knew I was loved through my life and for that I have to thank her. Regardless of what hardships she was going through and there were plenty of those in her life, she always thought of her children first. I also want ot pay tribute to my stepfather, Don who took on someone who had been so badly hurt by my father and made the last 25 years of her life so much better. No mistaking ,they also had their ups and downs but his quiet stability was so good for her. During the last years especially he was absolutely devoted and as time passed did everything for her. Don, you are a wonderful man and you can count on me to make sure your wished are carried out.
So to celebrate her life I would like to share a few photos. Safe journey, Mum, God Speed until we meet again...........I hope that you have found your memories...............Linda