Which would you choose?

***UPDATE***NUMBER ONE IT IS! Thanks for your valuable thoughts!~

Thanks for the encouragement in the cleaning of my "stuff"! One of the things I noticed is I need a new mouse pad really bad. I'm ordering a custom printed one.



Today I took a few pics of one of my favourite things, 1950s tulle frothy prom gowns, and I'd love your opinion as to which photo I should choose for the mouse pad....... I've got my favourite (I think) already, but won't tell you which.

THANKS!!!

Pretty pause

And by "pretty pause" I actually mean, a pause in the pretty... to show you some ugly!

I should have taken a before shot of my desk today, it was a mess. I don't know why I have been procrastinating so much this week, I've done every job under the sun just to avoid clearing my desktop. This is actually the after shot (LOL). Ugh, look at that horrid mouse pad~ it's a football one, I scrubbed it clean today, taking plenty of colour with it!

I've probably avoided doing it because I know, once I start, it's just the TIP of the iceberg. It means I have to deal with the piles and piles and piles of stuff I have on the floor in here. Literally piles. I swore I'd never let things pile up like this again, but I just didn't know where to put stuff...

So if I'm missing for a while, or you're wondering when I'm going to add my new stuff to my shop, this is just something I simply MUST tackle first. Once it's done, my head will be clear, my mind will be clear and fresh and I'll actually be able to reach the tissue paper I use to pack parcels!!

Warning, not for the faint hearted.......

But I'll deal with that fresh and awake in daylight tomorrow. Tonight I'm getting a headache. Probably just thinking about it, ha!

Bye,
Natasha xo

Jewellery too?

Way back before my little guy was born, a friend and I had a business with two facets ~ one was running children's art and craft parties (yes, crazy gluttens for punishment!), and the other was making hand beaded jewellery and hair accessories. Babies came along, it became impossible to do more of those parties, and crazy for either of us to bring tiny beads out with babies around.... so it went on the back-burner, we closed the business and had very large supplies of beads, LOL !

Fast forward a few years later, Christmas time last year, I found some gorgeous beauties I blogged about back here. Was I crazy buying MORE beads??!!! So while I was away at the beach, creating the things you got a sneak peek of in the last post (they'll be in my shop soon, sorry for the delay!), I also went through my bead supplies again, my vintage trinkets and all the good stuff I was saving for ... when??? what??? and I got to creating!

I made many necklaces, matching earrings, bracelets, from a mix of vintage, new, vintage-new beads, and pendants I created from scratch. My fingers and hands became rough and worn, the price you pay I guess, LOL! But I'm so excited to show you just SOME of the new things I'll be adding to my shop.... and wait for the last one, my labour of love, that I tried three times over to make before it actually worked (painting on brass.... it's a learning curve!!)

This would be that special most favourite piece I mentioned..... I don't know if I can part with this one :)

So, yeah, I'm probably crazy to add another string to the bow, but oh well...!

Have a great rest of your week,

Natasha ox

Busy bee

Well I have had a busy few weeks lately.... when we got home from a month at my parents' beach house, I had so many things to do to even be able to walk around the house! Now, my three page list is slowly being crossed off..... having no computer for a week really helped me focus on getting things organised around here!

So, while I was away at the beach, I did manage to squeeze in a bit of work, lol! Here's some glimpses of what's going to pop up in my shop when I re-open very soon.... as well as a whole new line of something else that I need to photograph...

Well, it's almost school pick-up time, so I better get moving. Leroy is loving school thank goodness! He is doing really well with the new routine, fresh faces and different scenery.

Catch you next time!

Natasha xo

PS. Thanks again to the auction bidders and winners, your help is so much appreciated!

Back online ~ Auctions closing in 24 hours!

Wow a week is a long time without a computer! I have a new motherboard, hard drive, video/graphics card and RAM, so, fingers crossed, things will run smoothly.

Thank you to everybody who has emailed me, your concern and thoughts are so appreciated. I personally am not near the fires that have torn through our state. The closest one was probably about 80-100km in Kilmore, about an hour away. It sounds close but it is not. I'm in the thick of suburbia here, lucky enough to have a broken down computer as my biggest problem this week.

Since I updated last the tolls have been more devastating. I'm sure everyone around the world has heard about the latest on the news so I won't go into too many details.

Everyone is helping in the best way they can.

Thank you to everyone who has donated to the Red Cross bushfire appeal, every bit helps!

Thank you also to everyone who has bid, or left supportive comments and thoughts and prayers to those affected by the fires.

I'm going to close the auctions 24 hours from now, so that's 10.30pm Thursday 19th Feb Australian Eastern Daylight Savings time, or, for my US friends, 6.30am Thursday 19th Feb Eastern Time. Your bids have been amazing, they are already higher than I could ever have imagined! THANK YOU for your support!

Leroy also sends a huge thank you for bidding on the piece he created. He is so thrilled!!!

Before I go, I am changing the subject completely here, but I want to share a tribute with you from our blogging friend Becky at Sweet Cottage Dreams. If you know Becky, you'll know she has been going through the hardest time in her life, having lost her son Jordan recently. She has written a beautiful tribute to him here, please keep Becky and her family in your thoughts and prayers.

Take care and stay safe,

Natasha xo

Update

Hi everyone,

Here's some updates on what's been going on around here, the fires, and things going on at home.

Thanks for the emails and for everyone's thoughts and prayers for those who have lost so much in the Victorian bushfires. My family don't live near the fires, we are over the other side of town, and close to the city, so we are well and truly safe from them. They have been utterly devastating to our state, so many people have died, so many people have lost their homes, so many animals have perished.

At times like this we see the best and worst in people. So many people are giving whatever they can, the CFA firefighters are all volunteers and have given more than we can ever thank them for, people are donating money and giving blood. With the good is the bad, there have been some reports of looting and theft of money collection tins. But good will overcome.

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Right now I am computerless, writing this post at a friend's home. My motherboard died a few days ago and I will be without a computer for about a week or so.

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Message to the lovely lady who was waiting to hear from me about the pink feathers arriving for her fan ~ I hope you are reading this, I cannot access your email address! The feathers are with me, I'll have something to show you when my computer is back up again, in about a week. Hoping to make an aqua one too if I can get the feathers dyed to a colour I'm happy with :-)

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Lastly, this photo shows you something I was about to organise, the day my motherboard died. It can't wait until I get my computer back! I am going to auction the items shown in the photo below, separately (BELOW, please scroll down). The highest bid amount will be donated by the bidder directly to the Australian Red Cross Bushfire Appeal (click here if you'd like to donate anyway!)



So, the way the auction will work...

• each item will have its own separate blog post




• place your bid amount as a comment on the item you'd like to bid on. The amount should be in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS. It's worth less than US dollars, you can use this CURRENCY CONVERTER to work out what you want to bid
• Please check the comments, for the highest amount to outbid the highest bidder.
• Please keep checking the comments to see if you are still the highest bidder.
• When my computer comes back online, in about 5-7 days from today, I'll announce that the auctions will close in 24 hours.
• Please excuse me, I cannot answer questions as I won't have the computer to access. I'll try to get to one next week if possible though.
• The winner will pay their winning bid directly to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal
• The winner will then forward me the receipt for their payment.
• I'll then pay for the shipping, and get the item to you. At no time does any money come to me whatsoever.

Hope that all makes sense.

Please check the next three blog posts for the auction items, their descriptions and please bid generously! These people need our help!

Natasha xo

Bushfire Appeal Auction Item # 3 - Original Painting Rose Wreath with Crystals

Auction Closed. Thank you to the bidders, the highest bidder was WENDYRSM with a bid of US$75 (AU$116)

This artwork was created by me, an original acrylic painting of roses in a ring, interspersed with pink genuine Swarovski crystals on canvas.

It measures 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm)

Open the bidding at any amount.

So, the way the auction will work...Please place a bid as a comment on this post, for ORIGINAL ROSE PAINTING.

The amount should be in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS. It's worth less than US dollars, you can use this CURRENCY CONVERTER to work out what you want to bid

Please check the comments, for the highest amount to outbid the highest bidder.

Please keep checking the comments to see if you are still the highest bidder.

When my computer comes back online, in about 5-7 days from today, I'll announce that the auctions will close in 24 hours.

Please excuse me, I cannot answer questions as I won't have the computer to access. I'll try to get to one next week if possible though.

The winner will pay their winning bid directly to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal

The winner will then forward me the receipt for their payment.

I'll then pay for the shipping, and get the item to you. At no time does any money come to me whatsoever.

Thanks, and happy bidding!

Natasha

Bushfire Appeal Auction Item # 2 - Gown Mixed Media

Auction Closed. Thank you to the bidders, the highest bidder was KIM CALDWELL with a bid of AU$175

This artwork was created by me, a mixed media collage on artificially aged canvas, with a print of one of my gown paintings, vintage feathers, vintage sheet music, vintage pearl trim, ribbons, glass glitter and pure silver glittered chandelier.

It measures 12" x 14" (30.5cm x 35.5cm)

Open the bidding at any amount.

So, the way the auction will work...Please place a bid as a comment on this post, for GOWN MIXED MEDIA ARTWORK.

The amount should be in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS. It's worth less than US dollars, you can use this CURRENCY CONVERTER to work out what you want to bid

Please check the comments, for the highest amount to outbid the highest bidder.

Please keep checking the comments to see if you are still the highest bidder.

When my computer comes back online, in about 5-7 days from today, I'll announce that the auctions will close in 24 hours.

Please excuse me, I cannot answer questions as I won't have the computer to access. I'll try to get to one next week if possible though.

The winner will pay their winning bid directly to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal

The winner will then forward me the receipt for their payment.

I'll then pay for the shipping, and get the item to you. At no time does any money come to me whatsoever.

Thanks, and happy bidding!

Natasha

Bushfire Appeal Auction Item # 1 - Artwork by Leroy

Auction Closed. Thank you to the bidders, the highest bidder was AMANDA WILLEY with a bid of AU$53.06

This lovely artwork was created by Leroy to bring some cheer and to help out the bushfire victims. He drew using markers on canvas and it features a sun, smiling clouds, happy flowers and a butterfly. He has signed it "By Leroy"

It measures 6" x 6" (15cm x 15cm)

Open the bidding at any amount.

So, the way the auction will work...

Please place a bid as a comment on this post, for LEROY'S ARTWORK. The amount should be in AUSTRALIAN DOLLARS. It's worth less than US dollars, you can use this CURRENCY CONVERTER to work out what you want to bid

Please check the comments, for the highest amount to outbid the highest bidder.

Please keep checking the comments to see if you are still the highest bidder.

When my computer comes back online, in about 5-7 days from today, I'll announce that the auctions will close in 24 hours.

Please excuse me, I cannot answer questions as I won't have the computer to access. I'll try to get to one next week if possible though.

The winner will pay their winning bid directly to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal

The winner will then forward me the receipt for their payment.

I'll then pay for the shipping, and get the item to you. At no time does any money come to me whatsoever.

Thanks, and happy bidding!

Natasha

Natasha is having computer woes...

Hello everyone... it is Heather from Pretty Petals writing this post for Natasha. She asked me to let all of you know that her computer has been down and she isn't sure when it will be fixed. Hopefully soon!

If you have tried to email or contact her she said she will be with you as soon as she can. ;))) Have a great day!

Horrific and Infuriating

Yesterday, many of us here in Melbourne were complaining about the hottest day on record, ever, (47c in my part of town, or 117F), worrying about frivolous things like why did the air conditioner fuse blow (as I had), wondering why the sky without clouds was grey, oblivious to the disastrous bushfires raging across the state. I avoided the news, because Leroy is terrified of fires, seeing them or hearing the word since we saw a fire last week a street away almost catch on to a house. But today, the news is horrific.

These brave souls have been out there risking their lives, fighting fires across Victoria, the state I live in, this weekend. These fires that are utterly devastating towns in all directions, are already being named the worst in Australia's history. At least 173 people have lost their lives to date, at least 750 homes have been destroyed. It is so gut wrench and heart breaking to see, I can barely watch the news. It makes me cry just reading about it.

What is infuriating, is that some LOW LIFE monster/s have deliberately lit and/or re-lit some of these fires. No words can describe how angry that makes me.

I take my hat off, and say thank you, to all the CFA volunteers, fire fighters and emergency service people who are doing something so dangerous. They are all exceptional human beings.

Leroy and I are now going through all his toys, books and clothes, as he is worried about the children who have lost all of their belongings. He doesn't want them to be sad, so we will send some of his things over. It's the very least we can do. I know toys are just a "fluff" and unimportant thing, but to a 5 year old, toys are their world. I'm so proud of him for learning to share, when it is quite hard for a 5 year old who is used to being spoiled rotten by everyone around him, to do.

RIP to those who have lost their lives this weekend. God Bless all those affected.

Fabulous finds!

Thanks for continuing to visit me, even while I am MIA and only pop my head up here and there for a blog post at the moment!

Right now, I have about three weeks worth of big jobs to do around the house, before I can take a breath, so please excuse my absence from the blogging world for a little bit longer! Having been home less than a week, I still have Christmas trees to un-decorate and dismantle!

In the meantime, take a peek at some fabulous stuff I found just before Christmas. Perfect pink vintage Japanese mercury glass beads that have actually started to tarnish! Oh what a find!!!

Along with this fabulous beaded chain....

And some opal genuine Swarovski crystals...

Gorgeous Czech glass faceted beads...

Yummy coloured freshwater pearls...

I took these supplies away with me to the beach, and made some gorgeous new creations with them! I can't wait to show you!

See you next time,

Natasha xo

PS. The little boy is loving big boy school!!!