What a Christmas!!!

                                 Does anyone recognise this box??

I found this tucked under the Christmas tree on Christmas morning - it was a beautiful diamond ring from my husband.  It is just stunning.....what a start to a fabulous day! We had the most wonderful time at my sister's town house on the canals in Mandurah - a gorgeous seaside town on our coast. Our kids were all there (at some stage or other) as were my sister and her family and my MUM.  My other sister and her family were unfortunately not able to come too.

          

We decorated the table in black and silver (not colours I normally use) but I thought they looked very elegant. What do you think??

We started our morning with icey cold champagne (we arrived at 12.30 so it wasn't that early for champagne!) then we sat down to wonderful seafood crepes for our entree. We always have the traditional roast turkey with cranberry sauce, ham, baked potatoes, stuffed pumpkin, cauliflower cheese, peas and corn regardless of what the temperature is - this year the weather man was kind to us.

For dessert we always have plum pudding or pavlova with strawberries. Yummo!!

                                       

After a short nap we all hopped onto the two boats we had (one belongs to my sister and her husband and the other to Daughter No 2 and her husband) and cruised around the waterways, I tried to take photos of the magnificent Christmas lights on the water front but they didn't turn out so well (maybe too many champagnes by then!!). Eventually we headed home to start eating again. This time we had cold meats, crayfish, prawns, salad and a fabulous whole fish which we stuffed and baked. Dessert was a lemon tart, individual cherry puddings and a yummy white chocolate, macadamia and mango torte.

Boxing Day was very similar to Christmas Day - just eating, drinking, cruising the waterways and enjoying having our family together.

I hope you all had a wonderful day with your family and friends.

Suzy

A little bit of baking...

Today I did a little bit of baking.. I bought a Christmas Cookie Tree Kit so thought I would make one to give away today. The kit contains five different size cookie cutters, the recipe for shortbread cookies, icing bags and two different size stands to assemble the tree.

The mixture was very easy to make and lots of fun to cut out.

This is how cool they looked when they were cooked - and smelt really yummy..

When they were cool I piled them up and joined them together with icing. I didn't use the stand as I want to keep that to use for myself and could hardly give it away then ask for it back!!

                                                   Ta dah!!

I thought this looked pretty damn good - even if I say so myself!

Suzy

Hot Sunday Afternoon

What a hot old day it's been here in Australia today. We have had lots of thunder and some big drops of rain but nothing to make things any cooler. It sounds like Christmas day is going to be very hot at this stage.

These gorgeous hot pink and lime green decorations are on the tree in my sunroom - I have the lounge covered in pink and green striped fabric that matches these baubles.  Looks great for the hot Aussie summer.

How good does this cocktail look? We made them last week at our school staff Christmas get together. This one is cucumber, mint and lots of other yummy stuff - just what a girl needs on a hot Sunday afternoon.

Care to join me???

Suzy

Nearly Christmas

Isn't this Christmas decoration just the most gorgeous colour?? It is soft, soft green and has the finest white sand inside - I just love it. I had a quick trip to the city this week (to help Son No 1 sort out a few things) and lots of the home deorating stores had their decorations on sale. I bought two of these yummy green ones (that's all they had) and two each of the silver ones - just so beautiful. xx 

                            

I have them lying on my white quilt on my bed but I'm thinking if they don't get up on the tree before my husband goes to bed tonight they might not be quite so beautiful - know what I mean???

It is so hard to believe that this time next week Christmas will be all over - we will just be feeling very full and happy!!  I have nearly finished my wrapping as I was able to get those last minute gifts to add to parcels while in Perth. I just love all the Christmas shopping and decorating at this time of the year - I know lots of people think I am crazy but to me to get in there and find that special gift for someone is so enjoyable.

Tonight I have my gorgeous Daughter No 2 coming to stay - she is having her first baby and I have not seen her for a couple of weeks so can't wait to se the baby bump....

We are planning to watch a girly movie together - how enjoyable will that be??

Suzy

I'm on holidays!!!

Today was my last day of work at school. It was so much fun - we had the class party for the students which was fabulous with lots and lots of yummy food then we did a little more work then once the students were gone we had staff nibbles and drinks. I feel like I have been eating all day.As we are such a small school we are able to do little extras to make the day really special for the students. I don't start work again until the end of January.
Last week I went to my craft wind-up and every year we have a challenge - this year we had to use the phrase Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue. Well, as usual I didn't get mine done until the last week - every year I swear I will get it done sooner but I don't know where the time goes. For my challenge I took the phrase as a wedding theme and made this cream satin cushion. The photo is of my parents on their wedding day 60 years ago. Sadly my father died many years ago but Mum lives in a nearby town. This is the only photo she has of their wedding as it was a time when money was very short (my kids cannot believe she has only one photo) so I decided to make this for her for Christmas. I scanned the photo and put it onto fabric then made up the cushion - I must say I am very happy with it and I am sure she will love it on Christmas Day.

I'm hoping to finish my Christmas shopping off this week and then it is only the food I need to sort out - I have lots of recipes I am wanting to try so must get organised tomorrow.

Suzy

Christmas China

I just love Christmas china - I really can't get enough of it - some in the brights like this platter, some in the real old world Christmas style, some in the frosted glass - it doesn't matter I just love it all!

Tonight we are going out to a Christmas party and I am taking some nibbles - I have made this yummy dip - sun-dried tomatoes and cashew nuts! It is very hot here today so I think this will be just fine with a few cold drinks!! I made the little bread pieces with my cookie cutters and just put them in the oven to crisp up. Hope they taste OK.

Have a great weekend everyone!!

Suzy

Afternoon Tea with me!

Today at the farmhouse I have decided to set a small table for afternoon tea! I was lucky enough to find a set of 6 of these cups and saucers (they also have a plate to match which I should have included!!) wrapped in newspaper in a box in an old house we have on the farm. They are in perfect condition and sit at the top of my shabby dresser which is on my header. I just love the gorgeous roses on them.

The teapot and milk jug I purchased from Myer just because I loved the colouring of the flowers. The sugar bowl is from my collection of Royal Albert Country Roses dinnerware - I just adore this china - my kids think I am crazy that I get so much enjoyment from buying beautiful china - they just don't get it!!

This little jug I purchased from an antique store while on holidays one year. It is such a great size - I use it all the time to pop a few little flowers in - sometimes (often!) my garden is lacking a bit with not many blooms around so this jug is just right.

I could have poured some sugar into the bowl, don't you think?!  I love this little china handbag - I have three of these, pink, green and yellow. I bought them quite a few years ago. They are actually Christmas decorations - imagine a tree just covered with little handbags!!! Too die for!!

Come and join me for a cuppa...

Suzy

Christmas Tree

Today I have been decorating my Christmas tree - this is the one I have in my lounge room. My house is very shabby with most things pink and green - my favourite colours- (I am keeping the black and silver for our Christmas lunch table at my sister's beach house).

I love this photo - you can see the pink bauble shining through from behind.

I tried to take a full view of the tree but it didn't turn out very well - thought it may be the light but now I'm thinking it maybe the photographer!!

Tomorrow I'm hoping to get some more decorating done but today I just couldn't really get going. We had the most terrible weather - extremely hot with a strong wind and the smell of smoke in the air. Not really very relaxing as I was home on the farm by myself - STRESSFUL!

Tonight we have a lovely breeze and a few cooler days ahead - I hope!

Suzy

Christmas Table Decorations

I was just getting my Christmas table decorations sorted when I thought I would do a little display with them until I need them. This year I am having black and silver - never before have I had black Christmas crackers but I guess there is a first time for everything! I really wanted to include the crackers as they are black with beautiful silver scribe writing on them - just stunning - but I couldn't fit them under my cloche so they will have to wait til the Christmas table is created.

My daughter made little black Christmas shaped place cards and attached them to tiny silver baubles with ribbon then wrote our names on in silver and they are so cute - you may be able to pick out the one she has done for Nana if you look carefully. I love the strands of silver beads just draped any old how - they look a bit like the bubbles along the waters edge to me. 

I am just about to start on the Christmas tree - this is usually done on the 1st of December but this week has been a bit hectic so by tonight I hope it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here.......

Christmas Party

Well, what a wonderful day I have had... we had our annual  Craft Christmas Party which we celebrate with some girls from a nearby town and this year it was our turn to host it. We started early (about 10.30) with coffee then a few champagnes. The visiting girls supplied the nibbles then we provided the wonderful roast turkey, glazed ham and all the trimmings!! The visitors provided the dessert - yummo!!! I was in charge of decorating the table so I loaded up a laundry basket with all things gold and set to work. I added a little red and green just to get in the spirit of things. It really did look nice. We use the cutlery and crockery from our local hall so I didn't have to lug mine in to use so that was rather handy as I had decorations, food, drinks, gifts and craft projects to take with me.

 After that finished I went on to our School Graduation Night - it was just wonderful. All our little ones were so nervous before it started but they rose to the occasion (as we knew they would) and it was a super night. Tomorrow I am having a day at home...yippee!

Gardens

Hi, everyone!! A Happy Thanksgiving to all you bloggers in the other part of the world!! I hope you all had a wonderful time with your families and friends.  Here in Australia we are flat out getting the harvest off. This is our really busy time on the farm so with Christmas sneaking up on us it really is very hectic.
A few weeks ago I went to a Spring Festival with some friends of mine - it was in a nearby town - there were street parades, market stalls and gorgeous, gorgeous open gardens. I have some photos to share - I wish I could say they are my garden but no, they are from  the garden of a very dear friend of mine. Each year her garden just gets bigger and bigger- this year she has added the deck area to one side of her house - it just reminds me of a resort!!

How about a quiet cuppa sitting here????

I just love this gardens - it is really made to withstand the harsh Aussie sun but still looks beautiful!

Everywhere you look there are just the most amazing garden beds choc full of beautiful flowers.

What a gorgeous outdoor area to just sit back and enjoy.....

Time to go and water my garden as we have had a really hot day here - I think I will be doing that with a cold beer in my hand!

Suzy

Don't you just love these perfect little hands???? They belong to my darling little grandson who is now 9 months old - he is just growing too fast for my liking!!! I went to Perth last Wednesday to look after him while my DN1 went to work - what a fabulous day we had....cuddling, smooching, reading stories, playing with his toys, a bit more smooching..... mind you I had my work cut out trying to take this photo!!!

I then spent Thursday and Friday doing my Xmas shopping - boy, do I lurve Xmas. I have nearly completed all the buying now it's just wrapping and of course the cooking, later.

I belong to a local craft group and we have our Christmas party coming up soon - each year we have a challenge to make something for the next years celebration, well, as usual I am just getting mine sorted now. Better late than never!! I have a great idea so will share it with you when I have it completed - I hope it works out as planned as I am going to give it to my MUM for Xmas. xx

I purchased everything for our Christmas table in Perth - all black and silver this year so how dramatic will that be - I  will take photos to share.

Talk to you soon,

Suzy

This photo was taken at a local shopping centre - how cool!!

DINNER ON SATURDAY NIGHT

Just a quick post to show you my table for a quick Saturday night dinner with friends...my plans to go Christmas shopping were changed so thought I would fiddle a bit with this..

It is quite a hot night so I didn't want anything to tizzy - white is just so beautiful for any type of entertaining, don't you think??

If you look really carefully you will see a lone salt shaker.. I knocked the matching pepper shaker out while I was decorating.. they were a lovely little set by Marie Claire - I will be on the look out for some newies - hope no one needs pepper!!

Must go and make sure the champers is cold...

Suzy

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Hello, finally I have my computer up and running - actually my internet connection has been playing up - like non existant!! How frustrating. Never mind it's working now so that's great.
Tomorrow I am off to Perth to start my Christmas shopping!! Yay, I am so looking forward to it. I just lurve everything about Christmas (except the extra kilos)from the shopping, to the cooking, to the eating, to the spending time with family, to the wonderful feel of the festive season.
I have a new grandson this year so that will be sooo much fun buying gifts for him - I also have a new little grandchild on the way...maybe a girl this time..
Last night we had the most amazing storm here on the farm - heavy rain as well as thunder and lightening - my husband and I were coming home from a nearby town and it was soo scary - it didn't seem nearly as bad when I was safely inside. Not what we need right now as we are just starting to harvest our crops but this is something we can't control.
At the school were I work we are getting ready for the final graduation night with our annual school play. This year we are presenting Charlotte's Web which is just so cute for the little kids.
Until next time,

Suzy

Hot and horrible on the farm!

Yesterday we had one of those terrible hot, windy days on the farm - the days when you are scared to look towards the horizon in case you can see smoke. All the gorgeous spring flowers were looking so sick - it's unbelievable how just one day can make the garden suffer so much. This morning when I woke I could hear tiny drops of rain on the roof - what a change!

I think I've had enough of summer already - give me autumn and spring any day!!

Spring is here!!

Hi girls, It seems spring really has sprung here at the farm house. The crops are all turning a gorgeous golden colour and the weather is getting a little warmer. I feel the need to get out the old paint brush and tizz things up a bit ready for summer. In fact I have been buzy painting my pergola - it is a fabulous soft green colour - I will have pictures to show you once I have finished but it was looking so yucky I can not show you any before pics!!

This is my first post and suddenly I seem to have a blank spot - I thought as I read other blogs that I had some interesting things to tell about my life but hey this seems to be a lot harder than I thought!!

One of my greatest joys is being Nanny to my 7 mth old grandson - he is such a delight - it is so hard to believe he is growing up so quickly. He lives in Perth with Daughter Number 1(DN1) and her husband and I do get to visit him very often considering he is 300km away. Daughter Number 2(DN2) lives with her husband on a farm not far from here so it is lovely to have her so close. Son Number 1(SN1) lives and works in Perth also, with his gorgeous girlfriend. So that just leaves myself and my husband (Mr FH) down on the farm!!

One of my favourite hobbies is rescuing old furniture and painting it up and using it in the farm house. Mr FH just cannot believe some of the "junk" I bring home but it keeps me happy and off the streets so who cares!!!

Must get back to my painting - have a great weekend!

Suzy