Jackpot = Bonanza = Singer 221K Featherweight = blessed & lucky, lucky me ...

I asked "what's that?" ...

she said "a sewing machine" ...

I asked "how much" ...

she said "eighty bucks"

I said "I'll take it!"

I felt sick in the stomach ...

weak to the knees,

I've wanted a Singer 221K Featherweight for so long!

She was born April 21, 1950 ...

what will I call her?

Blessed yet again!!!

Four Generations c. 1920 = all gone now ...

Taken around 1920 in Glebe the little girl in this photo ...

my Auntie Ebe aged 98...

went to sleep on the weekened and didn't wake up.

Ebe was my Dad's eldest sister.

Left to right ~

My Great Great Grandma Sussanah ~

My Great Grandma Helena ~

Ebe ~ 

Ebe and my Dad's Mum, My Grandma Ethel ~

I'm blessed to own a photo of these fine, courageous women ...

who went through so very much ...

to make it possible for me and my girls to have the life we have!

Frayed & Frazzled = ragged, worn out, tattered = problem solved = bliss ...

Frayed & Frazzled is how I've been for weeks ...

too much thinking ...

too much analysing ...

lost direction ...

that's what an art project can do to you ...

but ...

problem solved !!

Sunday Selection will help take you away from what's been bugging you!

Today would be Mum & Dad's 69th Wedding Anniversary = their 62 years together = a mini series ...

After knowing each other thirteen days ...

on this day ...

August 26, 1942 ...

at St Stephens Church, Bellevue Hill ...

Len & Tess wed.

Dad said she was the best sort in Bondi ...

Mum said he was a Botany lair.

Their 62 years of wedded bliss ...

would make a mini-series!

LA in May = Vintageweave Interiors = I yearn to go Real French shopping on West 3rd Street =

While I remain flummoxed and perplexed with the Uncanny Valley project ...

my heart seeks respite ...

as I yearn over our US trip.

In May after almost a month of massive US breakfasts ...

coming back in to LA on our way home ...

we were delighted with sensible eats in West Hollywood ...

where our last days were stupendous ...

finding Vintageweave made my heart skip ...

no cheap imitations ...

nothing made in China or Indonesia ..

everything shipped from the Brocantes of France ...

as if we were right there ...

halfway down Vintageweave we spied a teeny fence ...

holding back the guards ...

Biskit, Coco and their new, sweet, rescued, brother ...

who instantly fell in love ...

as we did when we heard his story ...

we cried ...

as Kathy told us ...

how she went to the shelter to make a donation ...

this little sweetheart was a minute off being put to sleep ...

she saved his life ...

it's like he knows how close he came ...

now he's in a perfect heaven ...

in such gorgeous surroundings ...

where love, generosity and French history abound!

 Vintageweave has a special place in our hearts ...

I so yearn to return! 

Don't dare miss the beauty of Vintageweave if you're in LA ... see more here.

Sunday Selection = Catskill Mountains = Upstate NY = Birch trees + more ...

Still in US mode ...

watching American Pickers on the History channel ...

as I compose this.

Being in the Catskills in May 2011...

was more than I ever imnagined ...

yep I was ecstatic seeing an actual Catskills sign ...

the views were magic ...

being the tree lover I am ...

I was enthralled seeing my first Birch ...

up close it was more beautiful ...

the white bark, like someone had white washed the trunk ...

so tooo the lichen covered bark ...

colours and textures ...

entranced me!

I'll let you know when I find out the species of this beauty.

Hope your weekend has been as splendid as mine!

Pop over to Kim's for more Sunday Selections.

Upstate New York in May 2011 = yearning = MY and Moi = indelible memories ...

My heart's been in NYC today after browsing the New York Post ...

yearning to visit Hells Kitchen Flea ...

where they're selling 2 taco's + a drink for $1.69 ...

plus the guys from a new Discovery channel program ...

Dirty Money ...

will be flogging their creations.

I strayed to remembering our journey to the Hudson Valley ...

and our visit to Hudson Valley Cragsmoor Stone Church ...

with gorgeous valley views ...

the quaint church high on a hill ...

despite being frozen to the core ...

look how happy we are ...

standing in the exact arch you can see in the church photo above!

Gorgeous times ...

beautiful places ...

where lasting friendships were forged.

My Perfect Life = a day with Belle = Shopping & Cake = having your cake & ...

I'm sure ...

my beautiful Great Grandbaby Belle agrees ... 

that ...

we can ...

have our cake & eat it too!

Hope your day was as perfect as mine!



Tuesday Trifecta = hope your day was as sensaish as mine ...

I was given ...

two handfuls of freshly picked snow peas ...

that I washed ...

then dipped in Hoummos ...

The Diva gave me

a gorgeous unexpected gift ...

to add to my collection ...

my day ended with

Dark Chocolate Dreams ...

on fresh strawberries & soy ice cream.

Priceless!!!

How was your Tuesday?

Hope it was as sensaish as mine!

Sunday Selection Part 2 = No Bark v Bark in Bourke Road, Alexandria = more trunk tales

Further on from these amazing giants ...

on the traffic side of the footpath, sidewalk ...

the bark was gently peeling back ...

Oooo it was so beautiful ...

I refrained from peeling it off ...

bringing it home for an art project ...

instead ...

I spied an amazing selection of service covers ...

wait till you see that collection I've been snapping!

Isn't life full of wonder!

See more Sunday Selections at Kim's here.

Sunday Selection = Trees = Elephant Feet = Nature = Art = in a street near You ...

Trees fascinate me ...

especially surviving ...

along a main industrial thoroughfare ...

 thriving in such toxicity ...

with "feet" firmly planted ...

majestically ... 

making way ...

for a small green invasion ...

like sentries guarding the elements ...

or guarding against the elements ...

flitering the elements ...

allowing the locals to breathe ...

gorgeous!

Enjoy more Sunday Selections at Kim's here.

A play date with Belle + Dancing with Grandma = Mega Wonderful day ...

Today was my play date with Belle ...

Mummy set us up with paper, crayons and fruit ...

we sang, we clapped ...

we laughed big and loud ...

we read this most wonderful book ...

we couldn't believe ...

how Rosemary Mastnak's Grandma was my double ...

even Belle could see the resemblance ...

after lunch Belle was happy to snooze ...

who wouldn't be in ...

in the cutest room ever.

Hoping your day was as wonderful as mine!

Eveleigh Artisan Markets + Greatness + Gluten Free = Mega Happiness ...

First Sunday of the month Eveleigh Artisan Markets calls ...

the first person I spy with a basket full of ...

metal buckles - $2 each ...

large catches $4 each ...

is first class maker Jann French ...

Jann's made to measure moccasins for little feet ...

big feet ...

are mega beautiful ...

more about Jann here

Grrl with her gorgeous house brooches was there ...

and her sweet softies ...

each with a personality of their own ...

each beckoning ...

'Pssst take me home with you' ~ delight everyone ...

... more here ...

Urbandon's  jewellery like this claw neckpiece ...

brilliant neckwear, clothes and accessories ...

is sustainable fashion extraordinaire ...

beautiful hand knitted scarves by Jessica  ...

the quirky clocks by Clockeyed Anthony Whyte ...

are creative ticking genius ...

glorious fabric and prints ...

by local gal Ro Cook of Rokoco

Gill Brooks of Feltwide ...

has been felting like crazy since last week

fabulous Kim took the cake as my mega find ...

well I took the cakes ~ yummmmm ...

the GLUTEN free by Healthy Feast ...

Frangipan & Blueberry cake ...

a Spiced Apple tart plus a Frangipan & Pear tart ...

the most TDF gluten free surprise I could wish for ...

yes Kim says they freeze beautifully!

Hope your Sunday was as sensaish as mine!