HOW LUCKY AM I ???

What a weekend this has been.

Excitement plus.

1st off - did you notice my new look blog?

I was lucky enough to win a Blog makeover from Katrina Chambers

Katrina is one clever chick.

Thanks Katrina I love my new look.

Katrina also has another blog called A Very Fine House check it out.

The second exciting thing this weekend was the engagement of child #4 Michael and his gorgeous girlfriend Chantelle.

The happy couple

Chantelle thought Michael did a great job picking the ring
She loved it

Love this laughing photo of Chantelle

200th Post and a Giveaway

Can't believe I have done 200 posts.

To celebrate the occasion I am having a giveaway.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this page and this sweet heart garland could be yours.

I will draw a winner on the night of 19th May (Australian time)

Love Autumn

Love looking at the colours of the leaves on the Silver Birch trees at the end of this garden.
Amazing that these 3 silver birch still have their leaves but the 5 out the front garden have none left.

Beautiful raindrops on the camellia blooms this morning

Love the colour of the flowers on the camellias in this hedge

Thanks to everyone on their lovely comments over the time we had Riley staying with us.

Hope it didn't bore you too much

Don't forget to leave a comment to be in the giveaway

DRUM ROLL PLEASE....

The winner of the Birthday Giveaway

AND THE WINNER IS........................
Number 10.
I took a photo of the screen when I did the draw.
Congratulations Lili M
Here is her comment -

LiLi M. said...
Happy Birthday to you Alison! Have a great day. That painting is so beautiful, lucky you!
September 26, 2009 6:21 PM

Lili please email me your address and these gifts will be on their way.

Thank you to everyone who entered

WATERSIDE WEDNESDAY

Another fun Waterside Wednesday

Remember to check on Barbara Jacksier's blog to see who is posting for this weeks Waterside Wednesday

Yesterday we did a 7.5km (4.6miles) return walk from Crib Point to Hastings - the walk is called the Bittern Coastal Wetlands Boardwalk.

You start off on a track that then takes you onto a boardwalk

The area comprises of a lot of mangroves and mudflats.

It is on the shoreline of Westernport Bay where you can see many different birds -Spoonbills, Ibis, pelicans,red necked stints and many more

It was a beautiful sunny Spring Day

The boardwalk and track

So many colours in and around the water

It was a great way to spend 1 hour 20 minutes of our day.

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY IN THE POST BELOW

BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY

FRIDAY 2nd OCTOBER - THE WINNER HAS BEEN DRAWN

TIME FOR A GIVEAWAY

Today is my 55th Birthday - where have those years gone.

I guess when I look at my four kids ranging from 26 to 32 I can see where it went.

When I see the 3 gorgeous grandkids nearly 2 year old Riley, 5 year old Chloe and 7 year old Lachlan I reaslise how lucky I am to have been around long enough to have such a wonderful life.

So enough of the soppy stuff, let's get on with the give away

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post and the gifts below could be yours

A hanging heart - Until you Fall in Love

Some gorgeous Cath Kidston Soaps and Bath Melts

and one of my favourite things - Sea Glass.

So leave a comment below to be in the draw.
I will do the draw on Friday 2nd October (Australian time)

HOW LUCKY AM I???

Look what Max bought me for my Birthday.

A beautiful original painting by Gail McCormack

I love Iceberg Roses and of course anything beachy.

So this is the perfect gift.

Especially when you have no idea it is coming your way

Check Gail's blog and her website - Originals by Gail & Tony McCormack to see more of Gail's and Tony's fabulous items. A very talented pair.

photo from Gail McCormack

A GIVEAWAY & NEW BEGINNINGS

MY REASON FOR THE GIVEAWAY

I am finally taking the plunge and opening my own Webstore.

My store is called Alison by the Bay and will be opening on Monday 6th July.
So I have decided to have a giveaway.

All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post to be entered into the giveaway.

You will receive a gorgeous Pink Cupcake, a pretty Heart, A mixed media Tag and a Cath Kidston Soap and Bath Melt.

To be entered a second time just mention my store opening on your blog (with a link of course) and let me know.

I will draw the winner on Friday 10th July (Australian time)

Thanks to everyone for their well wishes for Max and his interview but so far no news. Don't know if that is a good sign or not.

WHAT A BUSY FEW DAYS

SHADES OF INSPIRATION

Well I struggled to find pale blue and brown together in my home.

Some pale blue and brown brads.

Pretty soft pale blue feathers on brown leather – mm… an interesting combination

Thanks to everyone for checking in on Riley. He went to the Doctor again on Monday evening and his ears are clearing but he still has a bit of a cough. All in all he is doing much better.

Monday evening we had Lachlan and Chloe sleepover. In the morning I took them to school and crèche. In the afternoon I picked them up again and they had some fun making cupcakes. Mmmm….. yummy!

More fun for the Gibbs Family!!! Not really

Yesterday morning super fit Max my hubby left home on his bike at 5.20 am to cycle the 40 something kilometres to work. At 6 am my mobile phone rings showing me Max’s mobile number. When I answered it wasn’t Max but some other guy telling me that Max had had an accident and come off his bike after coming down a steep road (Olivers Hill,Frankston) been unconscious an ambulance was called and to meet him at Frankston Hospital. His bike is wrecked, his helmet wrecked but after xrays etc he was cleared with only deep tissue bruising, grazes etc. Amazing really considereing he was doing about 60 kilometres an hour coming down that hill.The angels were certainly looking out for him yesterday morning.

Just look at that broken and bent bike frame

This morning was another story.vomitting and dizziness had him back in hospital for neck and brain scans. Well it took us 6 hours to find out there was nothing wrong and it was just due to concussion. Oh what a few days!!!

The lovely flowers in the post below were a gift from Riley – well that’s what the card said but I think his Mummy bought them.
They were a Thank You for looking after him when he was sick. How Sweet.

Don’t forget to leave a comment on the post below to enter the giveaway

IT’S MY BLOGGY BIRTHDAY

~~~~~~~ ONE YEAR ~~~~~~~

I can’t believe I have had this blog for a year.

When I first started blogging I wasn’t sure where it would lead me.
I had hoped to be a little more creative this year but this past year has been swamped with family events, that you have all read about.
Maybe the next twelve months will see me getting a bit more time to create and play.

Bit scary to think how many hours I must have sat at the computer for this past year – best not think about that!!

It has been such fun getting to know you all. There are so many sweet people out there in ‘Blogland’ and I thank you all for visiting and sharing in my life.
It has been fabulous to share in your lives, be it a sad or happy time – it has been a pleasure.
Thank you all for sharing your art with us – so inspirational.

As it is my One Year Bloggy Birthday I am having a Giveaway.
To enter the giveaway just leave a comment on this post and I will draw a winner on Monday 11th August (Australian time).

These are the gifts you will receive

Don’t forget to enter you just leave a comment on this post.

You may need to click on the photo to enlarge it to see the gifts clearly, this winter light is terrible for trying to take photos or maybe I am just having a ‘bad camera day’

OH NO

OH NO – HE IS SICK AGAIN

Just a quick post as the rest of my week will be spent babysitting.

Poor little Riley was only well for about a week and now he’s sick again.
Poor little man.
Yet again nothing much will be done around my home this week just some cuddling for Riley from Grandma. My housework will still be there later and all that matters is to get Riley well again. So tough on Amy having to go to work and leave her sick little man with me.

WATCHING FOOTBALL

Saturday saw Max and I watching our son Daniel playing football.

Their team is undefeated this season.

Here is a photo of Max and Daniel taken by one of the guys at footy using Max’s phone

Daniel is 27

TRAINING FOR A MARATHON

Sunday Max went running with our youngest son Michael 25.
This year in October Michael will run in the Melbourne Marathon with Max.
It will be Michael’s first Marathon and Max’s 28th.

2nd AUGUST will be my One year Bloggaversary.

Come back on 2nd August and I will be celebrating with a Giveaway.

I SAW RED & THE POSTMAN ARRIVED

I SAW RED

Sara from Sadie Olive Le Journal is hosting an ‘I Saw Red’ event from 2nd June - 8th June.
Go check it out

Today ‘I Saw Red’ – First my Incense Packet

This incense holder looks fabulous with the smoke coming out

then of course my sweet little Sanna has a pretty red skirt

GIVEAWAY

Karin from Creative Chaos had a Spring Giveaway and I was lucky enough to receive these beautiful tags.Thanks Karin

POSTMARK : LA HAS ARRIVED

I was so excited when my Parcel guy arrived.

I knew it just had to be my fabulous Postmark:LA book.

Teresa McFayden, Rebecca Sower, Amy Hanna, Charlotte Lyons, Carolyn Peeler and Pam Garrison have created this fabulous book for us to be inspired by and play with.

Girls you have done a wonderful job.