Jikana Damaru

~ House Update ~

The house is progressing wonderfully and I have all my kitchen and bathroom cabinetry in which is so exciting - benchtops arrive next week.

The paving on the back porch has been laid and looks fantastic and we have a letterbox!

All is on track for completion in 6 weeks and I suspect that we may even be able to move in a week earlier - now I will have the dilemma of my window coverings not being ready in time!!

(Notice little Indiana in her capsule sleeping under the pantry - she goes everywhere and sleeps anywhere!)

(The new letterbox to be rendered and made a little more exciting next week!)

Have a great weekend everyone.

A post from Louise!!!

Dear Daddy...

Thank you for playing the guitar so I can dance.
Thank you for all the bike rides we do together.
Thank you for all the tea parties we have.
Thank you for not getting water in my eyes (like mum does) when you wash my hair.
Thank you for swinging the swing way too high.
Thank you for reading the SAME book every night without complaining.
Thank you for all the cuddles and kisses.
Thank you for getting up early every Sunday with me.
Thank you for loving me - like I Love You!!

I have been doing lots of scouring the internet for invites, thank you's and party ideas as I am always thinking of the next birthday or christening in our house! Last week I came across the fabulous TomKat Studio - she has a great blog which you can check out here and fantastic products on etsy which you can find here. Here are a few of her designs - just lovely.

Inspiration

Where do you find your inspiration - I would love you share that with me here.

I find mine from nature - the ever changing seasons bring so much into our lives, in each day there is something that can be found that if you look closely enough you can find a parallel in your life - black rainy days are followed by sunshine - or maybe just a little bit of sun shining through to let you know there is light ahead.

Rainbows show you the beauty in a stormy day. Thunder and lightning is followed by peace - it is so quiet when it all finishes.

Spring days bring you sunshine and bird song - if you stop and make the time to listen. New growth all around you.

Autumn brings falling leaves and a time of change.

Summer is hot but often brings balmy evenings when you can lay outside and look up at the stars and marvel at the universe above you.

Babies and toddlers are also inspirational - the sense of wonder you see in their faces as they discover new things around them, the way they laugh so easily - without stopping to worry about what other people think, they way they cry and then put the hurt behind so them quickly - not holding on to it all.

If we could find that wonder in every day, laugh when the feeling overtook us, leave behind the hurt - how much happier we would all be.

Matilou

Let me introduce you to the wonderful French illustrator Anne Cresci who lives in Lyon in France with her two kids Matis and Lou. Their names combined create Matilou, the name of her Etsy shop where she sells her beautiful illustrations. You can buy her prints, mirrors, cards and jewellery all of which are adorned with one of her beautiful illustrations.

Have a sweet day!

~ A Magic Nine ~

Well nine is the number of the day.

It is nine years ago today that my gorgeous husband and I were married.

So it is the ninth month of 2009, we have been married nine years and we have just added the most adorable addition to the family and she happens to be nine weeks old!

Here we are nine years ago.

And here we are today having lunch while the adorable nine week old sleeps in her pram beside us!

Just perfect.

(Now just got to find a way to fit back into that dress I wore nine years ago!)

~ The Smell of Spring ~

Yes it is the first day of Spring here in Australia and the weather was perfect - as I arrived at my sister-in-laws house today I smelt it - that beautiful smell of freesias that lets you know that winter is over and spring is here - ahh such a beautiful sweet smell that brings a smile to your face.