Eye spy ... joy

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the gorgeous Aussie Waffler. She has asked us to spy a bit of joy.

This is something that brings joy to Argy and Bargy on sunny days. Our loungeroom shimmers with "rainbows" cast from crystals I have hanging in the window. The boys love to chase the dancing colours about as the sun changes position through out the day. They never tire of their rainbows.

Poor Mr HB always looks uncomfortable about the whole rainbow thing. Being the boffin he is, he sometimes attempts to correct the boys. Blah blah ... refractive index ... blah blah ... water versus crystals ... blah blah ... Snell's Law ... blah blah ... not a true rainbow.

Rainbow or not, I have to say its hard not to smile when I see the myriad of beautiful, intense colours. And just quietly the thought of explain physics to a 3 and 4 year old also makes me smile.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Tara for the theme. To discover other adventures, head over here.

Eye spy ... a favourite gadget

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the delightful Kellie of 74 Lime Lane. She has asked us to show off a favourite gadget.

I'm a bit partial to gadgets, but this would have to be my current favourite. Its a free-standing, re-chargable Thomas The Tank Engine night light with inbuilt torch.

It is the magic cure for a small boy who had been getting up at 3am, turning on the lights and singing. It must remain fully charged. At. All. Times.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Kellie for the theme. To discover other shoes, head over here.

Eye spy ... shoes

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the delightful Anastasia of Anastasia drawing and dreaming. She has asked us to show off a pair of shoes.

Here are my very best shoes; brought out for special occasions. They are the shoes I got married in.

I went shopping for these with a good friend. They were a special, once-in-a-lifetime purchase. We entered a pact to never again speak of how much they cost. Ever.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Anastasia for the theme. To discover other shoes, head over here.

Eye spy ... something cuddly (Blogtoberfest day 25)

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the delightful Bek of Red Chocolate. She has asked us to show something cuddly.

This grainy photo - that I love so much - was taken 4 years ago. Its baby Argy at just under 3 months old. He was beautiful; very cuddly indeed.

(Cuddly sounds kinder than chubby, don't you think?)

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Bek for the theme. To discover other cuddlies, head over here. (This post brought to you as part of Tinniegirl's Blogtoberfest - a post a day in October.)

Eye spy ... a favourite corner in my house (Blogtoberfest Day 11)

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from Cindy herself. She has asked us to show a favourite corner in our house.

This would have to be one of my favourite corners - right here in our upstairs study. Its where I write this blog.

The desk is pushed into the corner and there are windows on each side. They look out over the tops of some old trees that used to be part of an orchard. In the spring and summer the branches are full of birds. Today there were squabbling magpies and ravens, but in a few months - when the trees are laden fruit - there will be an army of rainbow lorikeets.

Sometimes, late at night, there are other visitors. It is not unusual to hear growling outside and then have a large, myopic possum peer through the window. I am not sure who gets the bigger fright.

Apart from the wildlife, I love this corner for the view. The windows are north and west facing and are quite elevated. This is where I take the pictures of the sunsets that you can see in the sidebar (link). Its a very ordinary suburban view, but nature gives it a make-over ever day.



Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and for the theme. To discover other corners, head over here. (This post brought to you as part of Tinniegirl's Blogtoberfest - a post a day in October.)

Eye spy ... my front door (Blogtoberfest day 4)

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the delightful Karin of The Mrs. She has asked us to show our front door.

So here is mine.

On the outside you can see the nice screen door we had made when we moved in. I asked for the door handle to be raised above the standard height ... to prevent our two little boys escaping.

With the benefit of hindsight (and two long, rainy weeks of school holidays), I now see this was a mistake.

It has meant that I have had to leave a step ladder at the door. You know ... right next to the packed suitcase and the two Greyhound bus tickets.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Karin for the theme. To discover other doors, head over here. (This post brought to you as part of Tinniegirl's Blogtoberfest - a post a day in October.)

Eye spy ... something I shouldn't eat but do

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the delightful Jennifer Rose of Fuzzy Dragons. She has asked us to spy something we shouldn't eat, but do anyway.

I once heard a dietitian say that you shouldn't eat anything that your great grandmother wouldn't have been able to identify.

These more-ish, glowing cheesey snacks - comprising exotic ingredients with names like E160a, E330 and E170 - probably fall into this category. (I opened the box just to take a photo. Honest.)

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Jennifer Rose for the theme. To discover other food stuffs, head over here

Eye spy ... seasons change

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's lovely "Eye Spy" each Sunday. This week's theme is from the gorgeous Lisa of The Princess and The Monkey. She has asked us to spy a season's change.

In my part of the world we are heading into Spring: the season of the annual school fair. There are some absolute beauties around Melbourne.

This afternoon Argy and I kicked off the fair season, by travelling to an inner city school. We admired the beautiful grounds, patted baby animals, perused student artworks, rummaged through bric-a-brac and - most importantly - consumed pink sugar spun to the size of our heads. Perfect.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Lisa for the theme. To discover other season's changes, head over here

Eye spy ... something I want to try

I am playing along with Bug and Pop's "Eye Spy" meme each Sunday. This week's theme is from the gorgeous Melanie of Kimono Reincarnate: Eye spy ... something I want to try.

A-ha! How timely.

After some shambolic, hack stitching this weekend (a rather dodgy blanket stitch on some applique) I would really like to try embroidery.

Proper embroidery. The real deal. Even stitching; recognisable stitches with proper names. Less snags and tangles and more knots (French ones, that is).

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Melanie for the theme. To discover what other people would like to try, head over here

Eye spy ... something red

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week's theme is Eye spy ... something red and is courtesy of the delightful Ellieboo.

My something red is a beautiful handmade Venetian glass necklace - a gift from my mum and dad. The satiny beads are heavy and cool and the colour is intense. Seams of red within red.

I love this special colour. Its always a good day when I am wearing it.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Ellieboo for the theme. To discover more red, head over here.

Eye spy ... inspiration

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week the theme is Eye a spy ... inspiration.

My inspiration comes from ... vacuuming. No, really. It does. Hear me out.

You have to agree that the repetitive action and the din gives the perfect excuse for tuning out. Huh? You need whaaat? Sorry I can't hear yooooou. Vacuuming provides a little bit of mental space; an opportunity to retrieve creative snippets from memory.

Inspiration (n): stimulation of the mind to a high level of
activity

Its a time to ponder bits from creative books and magazines. From delightful blogs and craft websites. From clever friends and family. Its an opportunity for the grey matter to make synaptic connections throughout a dodgy filing system ... and maybe even come up with the small semblance of my own new idea.

See there's science behind my inspiration. And without doubt, questions as to why I don't have a much cleaner floor.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and for the great theme this week. To discover something a little more inspirational, head over here.

Eye spy ... a collection

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week the theme is Eye a spy ... a collection.



So may I present my (now vintage) swap card collection.



I wonder if you can pick which decade I collected these in?



Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and also for letting me choose the theme this week. To discover more collections, head over here.

This week's "Eye spy" theme ...

Picture credit: Watch Collection by Eggmergency

I have been asked to nominate this Sunday's theme for Bug & Pop's fun "Eye Spy". Thanks, Cindy!

So bring out your stamps, tea towels, stolen airline teaspoons, unopened newspapers, toe nail clippings and other whatnots ... this week its:

Eye spy ... a collection

If you haven't played before, don't miss out on the fun. Its easy! Simply write your "Eye spy ... a collection" post this Sunday. Then leave your details in the "Mr Linky" on Cindy's blog so everyone knows to stop by and say hello.

Eye spy ... beauty

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week Stacey, from the marvelleous Sheeps Clothing, asked that we spy something of beauty.

Here is mine ...



Every day, I see it from my little window.



Made up of a myriad of colours and effects.



Beauty.



Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Stacey for the great theme. To discover more beauty, head over here.

Eye spy ... something I love about my suburb

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week the gorgeous Ellieboo picked the theme, asking that we show something we love or hate about our suburb.

Well, here I am at latitude -37.817, longitude 145.199.

I like a great deal about my coordinates. Its quiet, green and leafy here. The air is fresh; the people friendly. There are some very lovely old houses dotted about. The train clicketty-clacks through the middle of my locality with regularity. There are monthly craft and farmers' markets in walking distance. And if you need sushi, good coffee and or a collectible teddy bear in hurry its all just round the corner in the little suburban shopping strip.

There's no mistaking, however, that I am most definitely out in the "burbs". My home is 21 kilometres east of the Melbourne city centre. I used to live in inner city areas and sometimes miss the lively buzz a little.

But then I wouldn't swap the view above for the world. Once a year there is a beautiful fireworks display ... and I have a ringside seat out in the garden. I love it.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Ellieboo for the great theme. To discover more suburbs, head over here.

Eye spy ... something I made for a small person

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week Mary-Jane, author of the delightful Sweet Emmelie, asked that we show something we have made for a small person.

My something is a photo board that I made a little while ago for Argy. I made it after having a bit of a ICMTFML (I could make that for much less) moment, at a children's boutique. The photoboards were fun, but elegantly simple and the better part of $100.

Now I don't know about you, but my success in the ICMTFML project department has always a bit hit and miss. There is often a very good reason for the $100 price tag. A reason which doesn't become evident until you have made a right royal mess of the project. Or spent $110 on the materials.

On this occasion, though, the construction was simple and the materials, cheap.

I purchased a large low profile canvas from a craft shop and gave it a couple of coats of blue acrylic paint. Next I stretched several stripy grosgrain ribbons across the width and secured them, using a staple gun, at the back. To decorate the board I painted some MDF letters (to spell out Argy's real name) and a car in nice vibrant glossy red and glued these on. The final touch was to add some miniature wooden pegs for holding photos and artwork.

Very easy, very economical and a hit with Argy.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Mary-Janes for the great theme. To discover more creativity, head over here.

Eye spy ... my perfect invention

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week Cindy has asked us to spy our perfect invention.

Easy! As they say, necessity is the mother of invention ... or more accurately, invention is the necessity of mothering.

Meet the perfect invention. The multi-linen-layered cot: mattress protector, sheet; mattress protector, sheet; mattress protector, sheet. Bedding ready to be peeled back and whipped off at a moment's notice. Perfect when there's a barf-o-rama in progress.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and for the fun theme. To discover more blogs, head over here.

Eye spy ...

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week the very talented Jennifer Rose of Fuzzy Dragons, gave us the choice of alternate themes.

Now I did momentarily consider her Eye spy ... a scar theme.

You have to agree that not one, but two Caesarean scars intersecting an appendix scar sound remarkable. However, I felt the accompanying photograph may breach some kind of blog rules ... not to mention send you searching for the Flag-blog-as-objectionable button.

So instead, I shall leave you with my Eye spy ... something that is blooming. A little blue daisy from our rather bare winter garden. Not as impressive as my scars, but somewhat prettier.


Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Jennifer Rose for the fun theme. To discover more blogs, head over here.

Eye spy ... a morning ritual

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week the delightful Angie of Three Red Buttons, asked us to reveal our morning ritual.

I'm afraid mine is all about the laundry. It comprises:
[1] opening curtains
[2] looking out window
[3] assessing meteorological conditions
[4] double-checking assessment with online weather forecast
[4] selecting appropriate strategy (see below)

Weather contingencies

Fine - wash clothes and hang out on line; send children outside to play; have a cup of tea

Showers - wash clothes and hang on children; send on laps around the house ... run, boys, run; have a strong coffee

Rain - abandon the clothes; hang up children; crack open the cooking sherry

Thankfully the pea-souper fog from earlier this morning (pictured above) has dissipated to reveal beautiful blue skies and sunshine!

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Angie for the fun theme. To discover more blogs, head over here.

Eye spy ... my karaoke song

I am playing along with Cindy's Eye Spy meme each Sunday. This week Erin, author of the delightful Tis Rhubarb, asked that we reveal our favourite karaoke song.

Well, as you can see I've borrowed Bargy's microphone (the one that changes your voice, so you can sound just like a dalek) and I'm poised to start. But before I begin singing, I do need to say this:

• Just because you can carry a tune, doesn't mean you can sing nicely.
• I can carry a tune.
• This how I got through the audition for the school musical.
• The last time I sang in public was in 1982 during said school musical.
• It wasn't nice.
• Some members of the audience are probably still recovering

So consider yourself warned as I break into song ... ahem ...

Start spreading the news, I'm leaving today
I want to be a part of it - New York, New York
These vagabond shoes, are longing to stray
Right through the very heart of it - New York, New York

Sorry about the change in pitch during the song. It appears that I changed to the Robot setting on the microphone mid-verse. Hopefully you were distracted by the high kicks in my accompanying dance routine. Mr Hoppo Bumpo says my physiotherapist would be appalled.

Thank you to Cindy for hosting Eye Spy and to Erin for the fun theme. To discover more blogs, head over here.