AS TIME GOES BY

 I ventured forth to Brisbane's own Paddington Antique Centre ..

admired the green depression glass 

and birds 

and came home with a little bit of kitsch:

Two bird plates, and four metres of fine vintage crepe de chine, in a delicate powder blue not done justice by photography -

(cool summer nightdress coming up - I hate hot nights)

Meanwhile, I had another delightful catch-up with a fellow blogger:

Michelle Ridgway who designs charming stitching projects, under the name Rag-Tag Stitchin'.  Pop on over to her blog to see her cute and whimsical collection of characters..

I knew Michelle back in the day when we met at a Quilting Group. 

It was lovely to see her again and hear about her work - especially how she has developed her business.

Her designs are published in all the best creative craft magazines!

The lovely Michelle, generous always, gave me one of her excellent project patterns, and the sweetest pink 'n white felt Christmas tree decoration,
 made just for me.

Uncannily, it so happens that I am conjuring up a pink/white/silver theme for this year's decorating - how did she know?

Enjoying the Christmas edition of Country Style?
Me too..
especially the instructions for making Christmas bunting from vintage lace doileys:

Fun and quick to do - but I am unsure how to use it now ...
could look like washing on the clothesline - hmmmm
(note my white agapanthus blooming out there)

And so, today, remembering the day the changed the modern world -

I bought this pen-on-a-rope at the Texas Book Depository, back in 1999 -

It is difficult to to believe it's been 50 years ...

Peace and Blessings
XXX

MEETING FRIENDS

And so, the Cardinals flew off to Sydney once again.

 Bridge was still there..

and good old Circular Quay with the ferries..

While Mr C did 'business', I went off on my much-anticipated, blogger meeting and tour of the fabric shops, with the talented Valerie, of

Valerie's Own Sewing Blog.  

Reader, I loved it!

Valerie was a lovely and charming guide, with an adorable European accent which caught me by surprise!

Our sewing synchronicity is quite perfect, and we chatted like old friends, 

non-stop, for well over three hours.  

Is it always like this when we meet a blog friend for the first time?

Pop on over to Val's blog and you can read all about it...

I am seriously in love with pastels this summer..

Linen, my favourite hot-weather fabric, in white, navy, minty green and lilac..

and a pink polished cotton - you can never have too much pink -

plus an interesting jersey, reptile/stripe combination.

Quite a haul, you must agree.

I notice I never stray far from my preferred colours of choice ...

Thinking of Jackie this week ..

She is one of my all-time style icons - and she loved pink too...

and a nautical navy stripe,

and white

and here she is wearing something which might be lilac, when the Mona Lisa came to town ...

She wore delicate mint green to daughter Caroline's wedding.

Not that I thought of any of this when I was shopping..

I have been watching many of the documentaries about the Kennedys -

even though I have heard it all before.  

There is certainly a lingering mystique about the Camelot time of the Kennedy presidency.  

But I digress - Thank you Val, for a lovely day in Sydney, and the best fabric binge I've had in years..

When we came home, Little Aussie was here for a visit..

He is now 4, and quite the little man...

Aussie, his Dad, and Mr C, are becoming poetic architects in lego these days..

I mean, we all love a giant chicken on the roof, OK?

Aussie loves to cook, and asked me if we could make cup-cakes ..

As luck would have it, we found a packet of sugar dinosaurs in the pantry.

Amazing.

We followed with a unique banana and Milo muffin recipe, of Aussie's own devising. 

He went home happily clutching a paper bag of his cooking achievements...

And we were left tired but happy after a Very Busy Week!

PS: the Red Cardinal Garden of Neglect has excelled, and produced a host of white gladioli - all by itself!

Have a great week, dear blog friends

XXXX