Love at first sight....

Hi girls, I just have to show you what I stumbled upon whilst driving James to a friend's birthday party  a couple of weeks ago and have to tell you I'm in love!

It is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, certainly not the grandest, but to me it was calling my name.  The design, the colour, the features.. it was as if someone designed the house of my dreams!
Then I saw the garden.. I nearly fainted.. it was perfect. Even in winter when everything looks dead the garden looks beautiful. It has a winding driveway to the front of the house but also a pathway from the front fence to the front door. It is full of garden beds with roses, buxes hedges, conifers, stone edged paths.

Now I'm pretty happy with my house and really cannot see me moving. But I tell you, if THIS HOUSE ever came on the market I'd buy it in a flash! don't worry about the fact I might have to find 3 jobs, but who cares about that right? 
Who would have known my dream house was just a couple of streets away from where I live, and if there is such a thing as falling in love with a house.. this is definately it for me.

take care, Maryann

Latest finds..

Hi Girls, thought I'd show you some of what I found over the weekend. Hubby and I went up to Cessnock swap meet and I found the cutest things.

I will definately be keeping the pink and gold vase, teapot and trio, for now atleast anyway. The pink vase is already in my bathroom.

The other things will be going on ebay at some stage.

The tall lamp base is definately a keeper. I have a habit of selling my prettiest finds so I am determined to keep this one for me!

Gorgeous wall sconce which I will paint up and add 2 chandelier shades to, I may have a buyer already for this, if not will be going on ebay too.

Also found 3 little vintage sewing machine drawers that will look great painted a pale pink.

I couldn't believe it when I saw this scrolly metal and glass shelf. I have been looking for one for ages to go in my bathroom and I finally found one.. yay! Ofcourse it will be white when I'm finished with it.

Ok ladies, gotta go.. take care, Maryann

Life isn't always sweet..

I have always considered myself a pretty friendly person. Easy to get along with, always giving people the benefit of the doubt. I have always thought myself to be a pretty patient person too trying to avoid unnessesary conflict.
But now I find myself in a situation where my happiness and sanity rests in the hands of one person.  I wasn't going to do this post, this is my problem, but if I don't let it out I may explode and do something silly I may regret.

As you all know I live on 5 acres and the one most absolute thing I love about living here is the peace and serenity. Waking up to the sound of sweet chirpy birds. Being outside in the garden with no-one but me and my thoughts.

Well a couple of years ago a new neighbour moved in. I tried to say hello the first time I saw her but I knew after a minute that she was the stand offish type. Ok then, that's fine. I can respect that.

She and her family moved in with a couple of dogs.  Now, just let me paint a picture for you. My house is set far back from the road. Her's isn't. So alot of her backyard is in alignment with my front yard. So? you may be saying. So in the couple of years she has lived her she has now 10-12 dogs, plus around 8 cats a couple of which come to eat at my place as they are always hungry. Yes, I admit I feed them. I feel sorry for them. So all her animals are basically to the side of my front yard.

So now instead of hearing chirpy birds in the morning all I can hear are her more often than not barking, high pitched dogs along with a very antogonising howl from a greyhound she has aswell. I have tried talking to her. She just slammed the door in my face. I have put in a written complaint to council. They have spoken with her but nothing much has changed.

I have been woken up at unGodly hours in the morning, forget about sleep ins on the weekend. I have tried ringing her but she now has an answering machine so she doesn't have to talk to me. So cut a long story short, my sanity, my happiness are in this woman's hands. I could think of a few words to call her right now but I won't. Sometimes I can't believe I am turning into (she has turned me into) a very bitter, angry person.

I know I shouldn't be putting this on my blog. But I have too, I just have to for my sanity's sake. I don't know what to do. Should I move? I have put so much blood, sweat and tears into this place. Why the hell should I? Yesterday I found myself looking at property on the net, 100 acres.. where my neighbours can do what they want. Have any of you ever been in a situation like this? I have never had problems with neighbours, not even when I lived on a normal block. I have been pretty lucky I suppose, up till now. So the saga continues and only time will tell what's to happen.....
 ok, back to my sewing to get my mind off it and cheer me up.. take care, Maryann     oh ps. I just purchased Julia Child's cook books and can't wait to get them to try out her recipes!!

Look what the cat dragged out... finally!

This dining setting has been sitting in my garage I'd say, for about 3 years! Why do I leave things sit so long? I don't know, but finally hubby and I dragged it out of his garage, to his relief and joy I might add, so I could get started on it .  I purchased this on ebay and even though it wasn't really what I was originally looking for, as I wanted a more french provicinial Queen Anne, Rachel Ashwell looking one (get my drift..lol!), I really liked the look of it all and imagined how lovely it would look white!  Now these are all before pics so not so pretty, but we have to see the ugly first.. right, and please excuse the mess in the background. This is actually my lounge room which is a dumping ground at the moment!

I really love the look on the back of the chairs with it's curvy lines up top and timber applique. I actually wrecked one with the blow gun as a small piece came flying off (oh, well..) as this is what I used to get all the dust off first, then a wipe down. They were filthy. I also love the cut out on the back. Ofcourse, it's not perfect as some of the beading has come off, if I can find some to replace it I will, but it really doesn't worry me.

I think what won me over though were the legs on the table! Love the shape and the ornate piece inbetween. It may take me a while to do as when I purchased it, it said nothing about the springs on the seat pads being wonky so I got rid of them. Hubby will cut out timber inserts to which I'll add foam and cover them with calico. Then make pretty removable fabric covers... a must in my household!

I think this will make such a difference to my dining room, I can't wait till they're done, even though it may take me a few weeks as I have some more orders to work on too. So stay tuned.... take care, Maryann

Latest creations...

I have been working on an order for a lovely lady and she wanted 4 shabby pillowcases. Since she said she had so much fabric I ended up using hers so it wouldn't go to waste. She sent me a lovely selection of Rachel Ashwell fabrics and some others to work with which all looked so pretty together.  She explained the style she wanted but left it up to me how to arrange the fabrics. I divided them into 2 groups as she wanted 2 matching pairs.
I thought these would make lovely soft pink pillowcases..

and these would make a bolder statement with the greens in the Charlie Brown and the red's in the grandfloral.

and here is the finished product.  I am very happy with how they turned out. I really love seeing something come together!

I hope she likes them! take care, Maryann

Devonshire tea at Hume Cottage..

Well ladies, this morning I had the best time ever! I was invited by the lovely Lucinda from Hume Cottage for devonshire tea in her shop.  Meet Lucinda, she is so sweet and set out the prettiest tables with the yummiest food!

Not only did I meet Lucinda for the first time but I met a whole group of lovely lady bloggers for the first time too and as luck would have it 2 gorgeous ladies, Mandii from Shabby Vintage Dreams and Kirstie from Adeline Country Cottage,  who live in Melbourne, were up for the week-end too! How lucky was that!

From left to right, here is Vicki from The Silver Teapot with bub on the way, and Sarah from Sarah Jane

Kirstie from Adeline Country Cottage and Mandii from Shabby Vintage Dreams

Lucinda with her friend Heidi who doesn't have a blog .... not yet anyway! Lucinda did a post on Heidi's gorgeous home not long ago if you want to have a look.

Delcie from delcie-teapartyland and her friend Susan cameall the way from Katoomba.

Lucinda has the most wonderful shabby shop, Hume Cottage, in Mittagong. Sooo many pretty things to pick from..

Group photo of all of us,, I'm on the end.

I had such a geat time meeting and talking to everyone, I hope you take the time to visit their blogs as they are such lovely and talented ladies. When I first started my blog I was a bit hesitant..... as I thought who would want to read about me, but I'm so glad I did now as I would never had met these gorgeous ladies. I wish I had more time on my hands as I had to leave a little early, I think I could have talked all day!  thanks Lucinda~