Jikana Damaru: 04/05/11

Anniversary Getaway

Tomorrow Rob and I are heading off on a very special getaway! We are celebrating our

"One Year Wedding Anniversary"

and we thought we would take few days to ourselves and celebrate a beautiful year! Our anniversary is on the 25th of April but we thought we would getaway a few weeks before just to spend time alone...just us! Rob has been working 7 days a week for the past few months with a random day off here and there so 4 days of just us will be absolute bliss! Here is where I will be relaxing and enjoying spending some gorgeous and uninterrupted time with my main man for the next few days!

Springbrook Mountain Chalets

A real timber cottage in the woods just like in the fairy tales. No big bad witch here! Set in your own private forest vaulted ceilings, full timber interior, exposed beams, mosaic of angles and texture. The bedroom is located on the mezzanine level with its own balcony and boasts a queen size bed. Guests have a choice of pillows.

Creature comforts include a glass front fireplace for cold winter days and nights (Springbrook can be up to 8 degrees cooler than the average mean temperature on the Gold Coast), and a spa pool heated and ready 24 hours a day to soak away rainforest walks (or for frolicking and sipping champagne). If the waterfalls and rainforest walks of the World Heritage listed Springbrook National Park is a little surreal then for your entertainment the chalet has an LCD large screen television, DVD player (our guests have free access tour our 300+ DVD library), Music Stereo/CD player.

There is an electric blanket so that you have something warm to slip into, and ceiling fans for the warmer months. Of course all linen is supplied including basic toiletries.
The chalet is truly self contained for those who prefer to cook with a complete kitchen including four burner stove, full sized oven and grill and a microwave oven.

Each window is reality TV at its best; you can melt into the surrounding forest watch natures creatures foraging for food and going about their daily business oblivious to you. Look out for the cheeky Goannas, King Parrots, Rosellas and Black Cockatoos. If you are lucky you will see some Koalas or might catch a glimpse of some of Springbrook’s rare and endangered species. More than 100 bird species live in the Park including rare and threatened animals like the Richmond Bird Wing which rely on Springbrook’s forest for their survival. Ten percent of the plants are only found locally.

AND MY FAVOURITE PART!

Rob knows we are going away but it's a surprise as to where! Can't wait to see his face when he sees this little beauty! I may come home as a prune!

x S.K.K x

Wordless Wednesday

Head over to Sarah's Gorgeous Blog for more Wordless Wednesday moments

x S.K.K x

wordless wednesday

more wordless wednesday fun here.

wordless Wednesday

welcome & thank you for joining in
all you need to do is add your wordless blog post below
link back to here (you can use the new badge if you like too!)
& have fun checking out all the fun entries as you go

happy wednesday ♥

ABCD Bloggers Catch Up

Last Thursday evening the Autumn ABCD Bloggers Meetup was held in Sydney. This was my second trip to one of these catch ups and it is just so lovely to meet in person some of the bloggers and crafters who I follow in the virtual world. A few of the girls I had met at the last event and we have remained in contact and now chat regularly via email when we need help or advice, products or even just a chat.

We each had to bring along a little item to place in the goody bag - something that reflected you, your blog or your business.

As I am in the sweet's business my little gift had to include something sweet.

I put together these yummy lolly bags - there were four different designs so the lollies/candy that I popped in each bag co-ordinated with the colours on the tag.

There were lots of other lovely goodies in the bag from beautiful cards to egg cosy's to flowers to divine childrens clothing and so much more - the blogging community is certainly full of talent.

The wonderful evening was organised by Steph of Bondville and Lisa of The Red Thread.

If you would like to be kept in the loop for the next event pop on over the ABCD Meet Up facebook page.

Would love to know which colour lolly bag would you like to have received?

Butterfly floral napkin holders

Butterfly Floral Napkin Holder by Torie Jayne

Butterfly floral napkin holders

What you will need:
Paper parchment rose flowers in pink, white and red
12 blue organza flowers
6 wooden craft butterflies
Pale blue and pale pink card
Tonic Studio multi-detail craft punch - Butterfly
PVA glue
Flamingo Fun pink paint
Pale green embroidery thread
Pale green 3mm satin ribbon

Instructions

Make a circle with a blue flower and twist on a pink flower in the opposite direction to make a circle.
Continue twisting flowers to the circle in two clusters, leaving a blank section at the front for the butterfly and the back empty.
Wrap pale green embroidery thread over bare wire on front of napkin holders.
Wrap pale green ribbon over bare wire at back and glue to secure in place.
Make five others as above.

Butterfly Floral Napkin Holder step two by Torie Jayne

Instructions

Cut three butterflies out of the pink card using the butterfly punch.
Cut three butterflies out of the blue card using the butterfly punch.
Fold wings in on butterflies.
Paint pink card butterflies front and back in Flamingo Fun paint.
Paint blue card butterflies in blue paint.
Paint three wooden butterflies pink.
Paint three wooden butterflies blue.
Leave to dry.
Glue card butterfly to wooden butterfly.
Glue 3D butterfly to flower napkin holder

Butterfly Floral Napkin Holders Torie Jayne

Please spam me, I love you too

Talk me through spam. Who writes it? Why? What do they hope to get out of it?

I imagine that if it was a solid marketing message spammed onto carefully targeted blogs... well, it would still piss me off royally, but at least I could understand it. There's always someone who buys that stuff thereby opening the floodgates.

But, really, I don't want to BOYCOTT AMERICAN WOMEN, despite the fact that you've asked me to about 128 times now. Nor am I particularly fond of your broken-English promise to love my blog for all iturnity. And, please, I'm just not that into obscure Russian invitations to... er, what exactly?

Where do you come from? I don't understand.

Don't worry, I'm in no danger of turning back on my word verification. I probably get about six spams a day and the spam catcher thingy gets those. But, ooooooooh, ANOTHER scrouge on the world that I have to almost-read so I know that I don't want to read it. Like a lot of advertising (ssssshhhhh... I didn't just say that... you know I LOVE my advertising industry... but only the really good, clever, entertaining stuff... and I still don't want to buy anything!)

Have you ever responded to an unsolicited email?

Have you ever bought something from a random telemarketer?

Do you think charities should be allowed to call you even when companies can't? (Just thought I'd throw that one in there!!!)

[Image via Buzzfeed]