I'm going to be a new aunt today!

As I write this my sister is being induced.  I so wish I was there with her.
I was their for the birth of her second girl and it was such a great experience.

This will be her third baby.  Above is my 2 nieces Tilly and Bella.  This shot was taken in March 2011.
My sister had been on the phone and could hear the girls giggling, she didn't take much notice, the
thought was at least their not fighting.  Anyway she could still hear them giggling a few minutes later
and thought she should check on them.   This is what she found!  Tilly decided that Bella needed
sunburn cream before she went out to play.  LOL.  What a caring sister....

Love this shot!

Anyway good luck today Emma and Gus.  I know the sex is a surprise, but whatever it may be
as long as it is healthy.  You guys make beautiful babies!



Apron = Love

Wikipedia says - An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to protect clothes from wear and tear.

I love aprons! There are so many pretty ones around these days. A friend of mine sent me an email on aprons yesterday that I would love to share.


THE APRON


(Notice that a "Medium" is a size 14 - 16)






Remember making an apron in Home Ec? Read below:

The History of 'APRONS'
I don't think our kids
Know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath because she only had a few. It was also because it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and aprons used less material. But along with that, it served as a potholder for removing
Hot pans from the oven.
It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.
From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.
When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids..
And when the weather was cold Grandma wrapped it around her arms.
Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow,
Bent over the hot wood stove.
Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.
From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables.
After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.....
In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.
When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.
When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men folk knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.
It will be a long time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.
Send this to those who would know (and love) the story about Grandma's aprons.

REMEMBER:
Grandma used to set her hot baked apple pies on the window sill to cool. Her granddaughters set theirs on the window sill To thaw.

They would go crazy now trying to figure out how many germs were on that apron.
I don't think I ever caught anything from an apron - but love...








If you are interested in making an apron Tipjunkie has a great post
with links to 50 free apron patterns.

PINSPERATION

Soooo now I've introduced those of you who weren't aware of pinterest to it, here is the next step.

I was discussing with my sister the other day (who introduced me to pinterest) that we do a hell of a lot of pinning but not much of anything else.

So we decided to set a monthly challenge.  We originally thought fortnightly but the way our lives are so busy lately thought monthly better, than this gives us the option that if we have the time to do something else we will.

So that is my challenge to you! 

Message me with a link to what you have picked to make/do from your pinterest board this month, when it is completed email me a photo of the finished product.

MMmmmm (Kristy deep in thought here).  Will have a look through my boards and get back to you with what I have chosen :-)



PINTEREST

Have you heard of this.  Pinterest is a virtual pinboard.  You sign up for an account and open

your own pinboards, then as you see things on Pinterest or anywhere else on the internet you

can pin it to your board.  This means you can find it at anytime and it also notes the original

destination it came from.

But I'm warning you................

IT IS SO FRICKIN ADDICTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!

(SOURCE)

Here is the main site, you'll need to join or be invited to join.

http://pinterest.com/all/

Once you join here is the link to my page and as you can see I am very addicted~

http://pinterest.com/kristyjane/


Here is what they say on the main page:

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard.

Pinterest lets you organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and organize their favorite recipes.

Best of all, you can browse pinboards created by other people. Browsing pinboards is a fun way to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. To get started, request an invite.

PINTEREST Mission

Our goal is to connect everyone in the world through the 'things' they find interesting. We think that a favorite book, toy, or recipe can reveal a common link between two people. With millions of new pins added every week, Pinterest is connecting people all over the world based on shared tastes and interests.

or heres an explanation I find on Pinterest

                                                                                                        (SOURCE)

REMEMBER

YOU HAVE BEEN

WARNED......

Over a month since I posted....

Well it's just been over a month between posts.  In that time I have had my plaster taken off.  My foot has healed really well and I am now employed with John on the station.  This has been a bit exhausting for me as though my last job was very mentally tiring, exercise was non-existent, then in plaster for nearly 15 weeks!  I have been finding the days really long as you still need to get done around the house what you normally do and be out doing physical work all day.  John's been great with this by giving me a bit of extra time to do that sort of stuff, but I have to admit being unfit as I am I have been exhausted at the end of each day.

Needless to say I have done NO craft and only cook meals, nothing exciting or special.

We have got Todd also employed here now and Jay home on holidays, which is great but the cooking and washing is doubled.

John and the boys have headed to Dundee for 4 days break and to get some fishing done, I've opted out this trip, I was so looking for some me time, plus I am hand feeding a calf at the moment and it saves taking the dogs.  I am actually excited to just sleep in, cook for no one, catch up on all the washing and house work, get some baking done and in the freezer, catch up on my blog :-) , catch up on my card swaps, and get some sewing and card making done..........Mmmm sounds so relaxing :-)

I am meeting Chrissie in town on Saturday for a massage and she's coming home with me for a girlies night and then we are off to the markets on Sunday for brekky and a look, which will be lovely.

I have been slack with the photo taking but will have to start taking a camera with me as I see some great sites.  Keep an eye out over the next couple of days cause like I said I'll be updating the blog!

Check this out!

Don't you just love this tyre cover?

It is beautiful and I know if I was following their van, this would certainly bring a smile to my face!

Check out photo's of the tyre cover and others of Kate and her families travels over at

Foxs Lane.  Kate has a very understanding husband who "helps" put her lace

decorations up!  Kate has done their van up so pretty.

I can't see John being so agreeable to so much prettiness if we had a caravan, but I think

in Kates family the girls outnumber the boys, where in ours it's just little

old me that likes the pretty stuff.

Thanks for sharing Kate and enjoy the rest of your trip.

Catching Crocs

                                      Koolpinyah has a permit to catch crocodiles that are a

nuisance to cattle.  These crocs are relocated to Crocodilus Park

in Darwin.  If they are suitable they are used for breeding, if not

they are used for meat and skins.

About the 3rd week that we started here this croc was caught in a tiny little dam.

The photos aren't great as I had a plaster on and was on crutches, then my battery ran out.

The photo above are the men ontop of the cage. The men pull the nose up and tape it shut.

The crocodile is then dragged a little bit out of the trap and kept pinned with the gate. 

Remember it's nose is taped shut and it also has a rope around it's nose as well.

They then tape a hessian bag over the crocs eyes, apparently if the croc can't see

it settles right down.

The croc is then pulled the remainder of the way out and it's legs tied.  It is then put on

the back of a truck and taken off to the the croc farm where it is weighed and measured.

This croc was just under 4 metres, but the tip was missing off the end of it's tail

so they said it would have easily been 4 metres.

There was actually a shot of me on the croc taken, so when I get it I'll post it.

Hope everyone has a great day.

 

DId I say off our front verandah!

This is the view off our verandah at sunset.  It is so nice to sit out in the arv and have a drink.

Now you may have noticed the talk on the move so I figured I needed a new look

for the blog.  Do you like it?  I wanted something a little less busy.

Is the writing easy to understand or should I go with a simpler text?

Please let me know.

Anyway I am heading back to my craft room to start making a card!

Shock I know, enjoy the rest of your afternoon and thanks for

coming over for a look.

Mmmmmm MMmmmm

Don't these look so yummy. Margarita Cupcakes, this is definatly at the top
of my baking list when we shift and are allowed to use alcohol. That is one
of the things I will really enjoy, using wine in my stews and pastas, being
able to use rum in my rum balls etc etc

I love the look of the icing on these cakes, it makes you lick your lips just
looking at them, they are at my new favourite foody site Confections of a
Foodie Bride
Go check it out there is some really great stuff there including the recipe for
the above cakes.

Oh No..........................

Well this is the view I've had for the last week. I broke my foot on Easter

Saturday, went to ER on Sunday morning and because it was a Public

Holiday until Wednesday, I was given crutches and told to come back

Wednesday to get it plastered. Not good!

Anyway I have been in a plaster since then, I'm due for a check up

next Friday to see if it's healing. It is called a Jones Fracture, which

apparently is one of the worst to heal bones around, as it doesn't get

much blood flow to it. I've been told to stay on my back with my foot

elevated higher than my heart. Yeah right!

Can you imagine if staff didn't get wages, and I seem to keep getting

phonecalls asking if I can do this, can I send that.....

So unless I actually turn the phones off it just can't happen.

On top of that John and I have decided to move on. We have done

what we came to do at Hodgson which was establish a station from

scratch and get it running.

We have a small block at Dundee Beach that we are trying

to do work on, and we are finding it hard to commute, cause it's 6hrs

up and 6hrs back, so there's our weekend gone.

So we have accepted a job at Koolpinyah Station, which is about

4okm's just out of Darwin. So we are pretty excited about

living close to town, and it will be so nice to knock off in the

afternoon and sit on the verandah overlooking the huge lagoon

and have a beer together.

So onto a new chapter in our life.

Now just to pack and shift on crutches................................................

I HAVE AN ADDICTION............

TO BLOGS! AND IT'S PRETTY OBVIOUS IT'S NOT MY OWN BLOG. LOL. I know, I know I have been so slack. A lot of it has been work, but I have to admit I have an addiction to other people's blogs. If I go near my computer that's it I am so hooked and next minute (make that an hour) I look and am shocked at how long I have been surfing! I keep telling myself, there is an hour you could have cooked something, sewn something or made a card.... Is there BA out there? Some Bloggers Anonymous help that I can get to stop doing this. There is so many pretty things to look at and so many wonderfully creative people that once I start looking, well that's the end of me. Ok so here I go again. I have to admit I have made some goodies in the last couple of months and some I have even remembered to photo, so will try and get them up in the next few days, plus I have photos from my trip to Japan I have been meaning to post, thinking of Japan it is all very sad what has been happening over there, and I have some great recipes from some dishes that I have got around to making. Bye for now, Kristy

Show and Tell.

Here is a couple of stockings I made for my

neices for Christmas.

This was a rush job as usual but I am really

happy with how they turned out. Over again I

would have lined them, but I thought the towelling

would be heavy enough, but I think lining would

have made them look a bit more finished.

I filled them with presents and had my

fingers crossed that the would actually

arrive in the mail before xmas and

thankfully they arrived the day before

xmas eve.

Emmas said the girls loved them and

had them hung at the end of their beds

for Santa!

20,000 Hits Blog Giveaway

Hi all,

Sorry I am only just getting back, I am having

so much trouble connecting to the internet at

the moment at both the house and office, so

it must be because it is so overcast.

Fam was the lucky winner of the hair straightner

pouch, so send me your details and I will get it

off in the mail to you.

I have to say when I started this blog for family

and friends I would never have dreamt of

getting over 20,000 hits, it was just something

I started to post some of my craft for friends

to see and some day to day photo's and chit

chat for family to see. I am definatly not the

best blogger in the world, so I would like to

thank all of those who keep checking.

Thanks dad!

luv,

Kristy

x0x0

New Years Resolutions and Goals

Every year I try to make a few
New Year Resolutions.

Last year I just about completed all.

1. The lose weight and be healthier is on
this years list again and probably will be
for the rest of my life.

I wanted to do some study last year and have almost
completed my Diploma in Front Line Management,
only 3 more units to do on that.

Then I have to think of a new course for this year,
still thinking on that, I think I would also like
to 2. learn a language, and I know Fi will be yelling
out "learn Japanese", but I feel, on my own it
would be pretty hard. Both of my boys did
Indonesian through Distance Ed and I still
have all of their books here, so I might give
that a go.

3. Each year I like to learn a new craft.
Last year I learned to crochet, and I can
only still basic crochet (single and double stitch)
and am still going to learn some more when
my teacher gets back (hello Sheryl) and I
told Nana she needs to show me some when
we visit in a couple of weeks (my Nana does
beautiful crochet), so I am looking forward
to doing that with her. So I think this year
when I finally learn how to do a Granny
Square, I would like to make a quilt.

Now for the new craft for this year, I am
still thinking on that, I have no idea yet
but will come back and add it as I think of it.

4. Open an Etsy shop - I think I want to do this, I'm not sure yet, I have been really
enjoying getting back into my sewing and crafting and know I would have a huge
range of stuff I could sell. With the distance I would have to travel to do a market
it all gets a bit hard, so this might be an option. My only problem here is is no
Post Office and it is such a pain to mail stuff that can't go in a pre-paid bag, and
I know once the season starts with mustering and training, personal time is almost
zilch, so the question I ask myself is I start this am I going to have the time to do it, so
like I say it is just a thought at the moment! Any of you Etsy sellers out there
do you have any Yay's or Nay's or suggestions on this?

5. By end of year have 100 or more followers.

6. By end of year monetize my blog with sponsors - not really to make a million, but rather just to get some new craft supplies, cause like I keep telling my husband "you just can't have enough craft supplies". This is another that I have no idea about so if anyone has any ideas/recommendations on how to go about this, I am all ears! Or anyone who would love to be
a sponsor please let me know.

7. Take better pictures!! And remember to actually take the darn pictures when I'm done with whatever I just made!! Or when something has just happened and after you think "that would have made a great photo", I need to not worry about annoying people and get of my you know what and take photos all the time. And I think I will add to this one is to learn to edit them in
Photoshop and also to be able to make them all fancy dandy......
My sister gave me a crash course and I mean a crash course, when she was here in
November and it literally went in one ear and out the other I think, I still have no
clue. I said to her at the time I should be writing this down and her reply was "it's
so easy you'll be right" all I can say is "Yeah right". So I will add that to the list.

8. Write more posts. It's not hard! I just need to get on for 5 mins each day and do it!
Just do it Kristy!!!!!!!

9. Start my Christmas gift crafting in January. And really do it this time. I would *love* for next December NOT to be a repeat of this year! I think I need to start making my Christmas cards and gift tags now as well (hang my head in shame as I did none at all this year).

10. Do up a budget and actually stick to it!

11. Type up my own recipe book. Actually started this a couple of years ago, just need
to get it finished. This will be tried and true recipes that I use all of the time.
Family and friends often ask for a copy of certain recipes and I also thought this would
be a great gift for my boys as they are heading out on their own.

Not really resolutions, more goals -

12. Add a couple of more buildings to the block at Dundee.

13. Go on another great holiday. Not sure this year, but thinking
maybe just chilling in Bali for a week or so or doing a couple of weeks
around the Whitsundays. I would like to go to Vietnam for a look, but
I'm pretty sure my chances of getting John to go with me there is 0 to none!

14. Make time for special gifts. Little “just because” gifts. So this year I want to devote more of my time to reminding the people in my life how much they mean to me, whether it’s through a hand-written letter, phone call, little gift or if near by just a big hug.

15. This one is definitely a resolution - Spend more time at home and
do more family stuff. Less hours in the office!

Give more time to the people who appreciate it the most, including oneself!
Work is not the be all and end all of a persons life!


That's all I can think of at the moment and I know things change
throughout the year, but I work better with a list and I am sure there
will be others to add, but I would just like to wish everyone a Happy
and Prosperous New Year, and remember make time for your family and
friends, cause they are what means the most in this world in the long run.

luv,

Kristy xo

John and Gus's Holiday- It was a Jewicide!

It's Jewicide!

John and Gus our brother in-law spent 2 weeks holiday up at Dundee Beach

fishing. They had a ball and Gus got to take 3 styrofoam containers

of fish home for family.

John with a 135 cm Jew


Gus with a 128cm Jew

John with a Fingermark

Gus with a Fingermark and Trout in Front

of the New Boat

John with a Coral Trout

Gus with a Coral Trout

John with a Tripple Tale

Nice Fat Tripple Tale

Tripple Tale action

Gus and Jay with more tripple tale

(I am glad to say Jay has had a haircut since this photo)

John with a Spanish Mackeral

Look what I got

Yep it's an I Phone 4, have been meaning to get a 2nd
phone for some time as there is arguments galore
when we both go to town as to who is having the phone,
so I decided this is way to hard and decided it was
about time I got a new one.................so why not get
a Lamborghini right!

Still working my way around it, and I think I need
Tilly here my 2 year old niece as she seems to
have her mothers down pat.

Do you have an I Phone? If you do what is
your favourite Apps?

Teenage phone message cards

I had to laugh when I saw these over at

Missie Krissie

Rough translation for parents:

Hi! While you were gone___

called and left you this message____.

I told them_____

You can call them on this number if it suits____

Click on the link to Missies Blog above for a copy of this free printable.

I want a hen house....

I've been at my husband for quite some time for a

chicken pen and he has built me one on one of

the other stations we have lived on, but he

has been dragging the chain on this one,

I would love just a moveable one that

I can put on fresh pick and easily hold

about 5 chooks.

I think I'll be dreamin' for a while.

Have a look at these for chook houses!

More like mansions, I could imagine

the look and comment I would get

if I asked for a hen house like these.

ROFL!

I found these at

Bliss Guild Blogspot

Oh How I Love Gift Wrapping...........

Gift wrapping, sighh........

Aren't these gorgeous! Every year I

vow I'm going to wrap my presents

beautifully, and every year it comes

around so fast that nine times out of

ten I'm rushing to get things wrapped

so they will make last mail plane before

Christmas that a lot of the time I'm writing

on the wrapping with Nikko pen for whom

they are for......I know I am hanging my

head in shame, I have the paper, the stamps

and the know how, I just always leave things

too late!

Well I still have this weekend to finish

wrapping some, so will try and put a

bit more effort into those - the ladies at

least - do you think the men

appreciate it as much as we do or do

they really not care?

Anyway here is some I have drooled over

on some blogs lately:

Design Sponge

Paper n Stitch

Somethings Unique 365

Small burst of everything

Gracie Bella Butterfly

Style Files

My life - My loves

Kylie Parry

How About Orange

If you got to How About Orange's link they

also have a free printable to make the

snow flake.