get the crap out of my house party

I’ve been doing lots of reorganising around our home – pantry, linen closet, bathroom, playroom, bedroom…. it’s all been happening, albeit slowly.  I had two rooms to go.  And got slack and scared of the work involved.

I didn’t know where to start.

So when I came across a blog post on V & Co’s blog a few days ago…

…it was just the kick up the behind that I needed!

A deadline! YES!

So yesterday and today, I worked on ONE of those rooms – the dining room – to get as much done as I could in time for Vanessa’s

Get The Crap Out Of My House Party!

Keep in mind… it’s not finished…. but it’s a whole lot better than it was on Tuesday!

Before….

After (sorry it’s blurry!)…

 

Before….

After….

 

Before….

After…

 

Before….

After….

 

Before…

 

After….

 

{That bit circled in red below is a bunch of stuff I have put together to take to my market table in a few weeks, so it can’t go anywhere for the time being}

So there’s still some work to do….

Many of the laces and boxes of supplies that were on the floor near the bookshelf are now in the lounge room ready for me to sort through what to keep and what to sell.

I know that sounds like I’ve just moved the mess, but that’s not the case. If it is in my lounge room, it means I will actually go through it all because I hate it being in there!

I  also got through four random bags of toys, and have a suitcase full of stuff to sell already.

I was pretty ruthless in my bookshelf – I got rid of anything that didn’t fit in that bookcase.  If I couldn’t find a spot for it, it was OUT.  Lots of books going to be donated now!

And I still have that huge job ahead of me… the craft room… but it doesn’t seem as daunting when the dining room was able to get to a much better state within a few days!

Well I’m off to visit the parties that Vanessa will have links to.

Take care!

Natasha xo

Violet?

One thing I have no trouble growing year in, year out, is violets.

They were originally planted here in the late 1980s by my grandmother.  I love that every year, I can pick them and put them in my little “violet vase” and smell them every time I walk in the room.

 

I’ve always said if I ever had a girl {and no, it is not happening!}, I’d love to call her Violet.  It’s such a pretty name, but not so common. Which is what I like about it.

But every time I say the word ‘violet’, I think of Willy Wonka {the original movie"} and the line,

“Violet! You’re turning violet, Violet!”

I wanted to share something with you.   Did you know violets and their leaves are edible?!

I didn’t until yesterday.  I’m hoping Dr Google and Mr Wiki Answers are correct, or I’m going to be ill shortly….

I made this salad from {thoroughly washed} violet leaves & flowers, Black Russian tomatoes, and a few varieties of lettuce I have growing in pots. 

I just dressed it in a little extra virgin olive oil, salt, and white balsamic vinegar.

So how does it taste?

Well, it’s “interesting”.  The taste is fine, like different salad greens.  It’s the texture that’s a bit off…. furry…. I used as many young leaves as I could, but still, they were furry. 

The flowers tasted like…

ummmm… well they tasted like… violets

But I ate it all!

Natasha xo

I hate spam

Spam makes me pull my hair out!

Do you have spam problems?

I never used to get any spam… then I got it here and there, usually some sort of writing I didn’t understand – don’t know if it was Chinese or Japanese.

Now the spam bots have those crawling spam fingers on every post.

It’s not a lot of spam – but I hate that some unsuspecting blog reader of mine could click on their link and be taken goodness-knows-where, before I have the chance to delete the comment.

Which is why I tried word verification for a while there last week.  It was no help…

Spam got through it!!! HOW??

So now, I’m sorry – I’ve added comment moderation. I hate it, but it is necessary,

for a while at least.

I have, however, removed word verification – which, by the way, you don’t need if you have comment moderation….. I really dislike the annoying step of word verification when I visit blogs, so I didn’t want it on mine.

I have also turned on anonymous comments again – so you don’t have to have a blog or a Google ID to comment any more.

I’m curious….

Do you have spam issues?

Do you also hate word verification?

Or does it not bother you to leave someone a comment and have to do that extra step?

Do you have word verification AND comment moderation turned on….

and if you do, why both?

Until next time,

N xo

Family Circle

Something was waiting for me in my letterbox this morning….

OMG I am soooooo in love with this!

I had a custom made “family circle” ring necklace made recently, by The Silver Wren on Etsy.

I loved their vintage handmade look {and yes, I know it is handmade, but sometimes even handmade looks too perfect, too manufactured, know what I mean?}.  I know there are a lot of choices out there for similar things ~ but I just adored the way that it was one simple pearl, and that the ring holding the pearl didn’t cut into the ring with our names on it.

Just love love love this special piece of jewellery.  I love how it is only meaningful for us three musketeers.

I don’t know if I am going to ever take it off!

And that the seller was awesome and fast and talented, and packed it beautifully too, is an extra bonus!

Natasha xo

Bastille Day at Fanantique

I’ve been itching to get back online and share with you my fun day this past Wednesday.  It was Bastille Day on July 14th, and I had the pleasure of driving out to beautiful Brighton to see the gorgeous Liz of Fanantique at her beautiful shop. 

Stepping inside this shop was such a pleasure for the all the senses!  Beauty to hear, smell, touch, see and taste!

Tons of French inspired beauty all around…

Liz was up all night making CHAMPAGNE CUPCAKES! Yes, made with Champagne!

How completely decadent!

Oh, and we got some champagne on arrival too.

Didn’t the ladies love it when they walked in and were offered champagne and cupcakes?!

This is Liz, the beautiful hostess and store owner.  She has such a great eye for detail.

She also happens to be an incredibly talented artist and illustrator.

The cupcakes were SO yummy, so so so yummy….

My favourite were these – what an amazing idea – using fairy floss on top, “Marie Antoinette Cupcakes”, with the floss representing her hair {have I mentioned they tasted amazing?}

Some pretties around Liz’s shop

There’s a wonderful section for amazing perfumes & body products.  I was lucky enough to be there when the actual perfumer herself, Emma of Fleurage, was there!  I got to test them all, and was told about top notes and the sorts of things that go inside beautiful pure botanical perfumes.

I got myself a sample size bottle of SIREN.  It’s wonderful.  Hubby made a cat-like purr when he smelled it.  Oh, sorry, that was probably TMI {Too Much Information}, wasn’t it!

Here’s Liz and Emma – both so stylish, celebrating Bastille Day in the finest way!

{Liz – Fanantique site and Fanantique Blog}  {Emma – Fleurage site and Fleurage Blog}

I’ll make sure I celebrate Bastille Day again next year, that’s for sure!

Natasha xo

.... back soon

Hi!

I'll be back soon.  I did something really dumb and uninstalled a very important part of my computer's operating system....{by mistake, of course!}

I've had the OS reinstalled, the whole hard drive wiped clean and I'm starting again.  

Which means, I need to reinstall all my programs.

..... when I find the discs....

LOL!

Until next time, which is hopefully SOON....

Natasha xo

Flutter by…

Thought I’d stop by and quickly share with you some photos from the Melbourne Zoo I took a few days ago. 

It’s school holiday time, and we’ve been crazy busy with kiddie activities every day.

These beautiful butterflies bring me a sense of calm during a busy time!

Natasha xo