Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year 2009/2010

I would like to wish all my friends, family and everyone else who has visited my blog and anyone else who visits me in the future, the very happiest New Years Eve. May your 2010 be happy, healthly, all you could wish for,  but most of all I hope it is FUN.


Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Movie Time

Tonights post is going to be a short and sweet. Thank you girls for your help so far in my "DavineRaeDesign" website plans. I must say it does cause a bit of brain overlaod. I am watching the movie "Silence of the Lambs". It is only about the 6th time I have seen it - can you guess I like it. Usually I can type and watch telly at the same time, but not with this movie, it has to get my full attention.  I promise you will get all of me tomorrow.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Now Time for Research

It is now time for me to research my new "DavineRaeDesign" blog, to start featuring, sharing and selling my jewellery. I am OK with setting up my blogger blog but for my concerns I have decided to put my questions out to the masses. If anyone knows of any good blogs that sell whatever I would love the address and I will check them out. For payments I would really like to use PayPal as I have used it many times for my own purchases and sales on ebay and am happy with it. Once again does anyone out there have any information that can help me set that up. Actually I will accept any information anyone can give me. It's a good feeling actually working on one of my New Years Resolutions even before 2010 starts. I have decided 2010 is going to be a great year in all areas of my life (nothing like a bit of positive thinking), so all I can say is "Bring It On".

Monday, December 28, 2009

The Journey Continues


Today I continued my journey on my dream of succeeding in my own business. I sat down with pencil in hand and designed my 1st ever business card for my own venture. The logo I have used is a doodle drawing over a copy of the tattoo on my leg. I like it as it is part of me as my little venture is. Eventually I will get some more professional looking ones made but for now these will be fine.




I also got one of my Chrissy presents today. Dad gives us all money for Christmas and I decided I would really love a new IPOD Nano because my old one decided to die. It is really really beautiful and purple. I can't wait to download all of my songs onto it.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Winding down 2009

It's about this time of year I start to think about what I have accomplished in the last 12 months. Checking with myself which projects, events, situations I have been satisfied with and not so much with others. Every year during this week I have a real feeling of trying to tie up as many loose ends as I can so I can start the upcoming year with a relative clean slate. As I have gotten older I have realized I enjoy preparing for endings of things and beginnings as well. If I was to name one thing I have done this year and have been proud of it, it would be that I have started my jewellery business. But the challenge in 2010 is to now prepare and treat it like an actual business and not a hobby. That is the scary bit!!! In recent weeks I have made quite a few sales and am now getting asked for business cards and whether I have a website. Mmmmm none of the above just yet!!! So the challenge for me is to yes design and print some business cards - I am not to fazed about these, I can do this. But a WEBSITE - oh my dear what do I do - do it myself? Pay someone else to do it - Mmmm I have a problem with spending money on something I MAY be able to do. But the question is when will I get around to not only researching but actually doing it!! Every time I start to think about it - it makes my brain hurt!! But I am going to do it - I am not going to let the procrastinator in me take over.


Now to finish on a more positive note, I would love to hear from you with one

thing you are proud you have accomplished during 2009??

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas - Day 22 - 23 - 24




Well here we are at Christmas Eve, I am sitting watching "Carols By Candlelight" at the Myer Music Bowl and going through lots of emotions. The joy of Christmas - enjoying Christmas Carols - missing my Mum - typing by the lovely glow of my Christmas Lights - facing the fact that I won't have my Dad around next Christmas Eve. He has had a an OK couple of days, I think he has accepted what is happening. Shane's Dad "Jack" has come over from Tasmania to join us for Chrissy. He gave me the best pressie a 2.5kg (about 5lb) Crayfish. It has been so long since I have had a crayfish and I just love love them. We went to the Vic Market to get some other seafood and the Crayfish were $50.00 a kg and Jack got this one from a Cray Boat owner for $20.00 kg. I think it is going to be our Boxing day lunch.


I did make my Christmas cards - but I never got around to send them so all of my Christmas Wishes are going to be electronic this year.


I would like to wish all of my friends and family the very best

May all your dreams come true and your health be 100% in 2010.

Thank you for your kind words and actions throughout 2009.

May we share all that will be 2010.

All My Love Davine.

XXXXX

Monday, December 21, 2009

Christmas - Day 21

Today we had our first visit from "Royal District Nursing" to organise some help for me with looking after Dad. Our nurse "Heather" was so so helpful, she even gave Dad a shave for me - I am not a very good shaver. Among other things, they are going to come and give Dad a wash 3 times a week. After Heather had gone it just felt like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I am quite OK looking after Dad, but I just found it hard washing him, cause he's my Dad. I'm not sure what it was - maybe the relief that someone who knows what they are doing will be here often, but for the rest of the day I have been totally exhausted. I am hoping I will be able to get a sound nights sleep tonight. Another thing that has really touched me today are the comments I have had from my new blog friends. Who would think that I would feel so touched to get such lovely comments from people I don't even know face to face. Thank you girls for making me feel I am not alone. Oh nearly forgot "Happy Summer Soltice" for tomorrow to all my blog friends out there. Weird how "Winter Soltice" was today and "Summer Soltice" is tomorrow.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Christmas - Day 20

This morning I had brunch with some very dear girlfriends - it is so good to have a laugh early on a Sunday morning. Alice gave Shane and I a great little Chrissy gift. When you are an AFL football supporter in Melbourne it doesn't matter whether it is "Footy Season" or not it is still good to get something with your teams logo on it. Shane got 3 Chrissy Baubles for "Carlton Blues" and I got 3 St Kilda Saints Baubles". They look very pretty on my tree.

Just an update for my blog friends on my dear old dad - his poor old body is getting weaker each day. He is still at home with me and is relying on me for his care more and more each day. We have had a few talks about what is happening in our lives and he has been able to help me understand the end of our life process as best he can. It is very sad to see him so weak but I know he is ready to join my Mum.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Christmas - Day 19


Well I haven't had a very exciting day today - it has been filled with housework. So I haven't even got a Christmas decoration to show as I haven't taken any photos. So I thought I would just share a couple of fabulous pictures from Old Dame Penniwig. I am using some of them on some of my past Christmas's' scrapbooking pages. She does such a wonderful job sharing these with us. Now that Dad is all settled down for the night, Shane and I are going to veg out in front of the telly and watch the latest X-Men Origins - Wolverine movie. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and just enjoying the lead up to Christmas - life is to short to get stressed.

Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas - Day 18


I guess one of the advantages of having a Mum that makes jewellery is that you can ask for a specific design to give someone for Christmas. Well that is what Rachel has taken advantage of. She was wandering the shopping centre looking for a bracelet for ??? (can't say she may read this post) when she remembered she had a very talented Mum ( May as well praise myself). So this is the bracelet I have made for ???. I also had a play with some necklaces - I don't normally do necklaces, don't know why just don't.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Christmas - Day 17

One of our Family Christmas traditions is our "Christmas Lolly (Candy) Tree". I've made it since Shane and Rachel were tiny little humans. It is a polystyrene cone with lots of lollies in wrappers and colourful curly ribbon pinned all around it. I make it about 2 weeks prior to Christmas Day, but the first person to take a lolly from it is Santa on Christmas Eve when he is leaving our gifts. When Shane and Rachel would get up on Christmas morning some of the lollies would have been eaten and a trail of papers would lead to the chimney. Even now with Shane and Rachel all grown up and not living with me anymore, I still make the lolly tree and no lollies are eaten until Christmas Morning. This year I also made Rachel one and she had to make sure Luke (her partner) kept up with our family tradition. One day I will get to make one for Shane and Stacey - it's just a bit hard to get theirs to the top end of Australia in Cairns seeing I am right down the bottom.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Christmas 16 - Lets grow down.

Sometimes us adults just take everything way to seriously. We forget that we are still that child that played silly games, did fun crazy stuff and didn't care what the "Grown Ups" thought. Well I have had to many of those moments creep into my days lately, so I have decided to discourage the serious grown up moments to only creep in when absolutely necessary. With that in mind I thought I would tell you all a couple of silly fun jokes. I hope it at least brings a smile to your face.

"What do elves learn in school?
? The elf-abet


What is the difference between the Christmas alphabet and the ordinary alphabet?
? The Christmas alphabet has No L (Noel)

Why does Santa have 3 gardens?
? So he can hoe hoe hoe


What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
? Frosted Flakes

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
? Frostbite


What does a cat on the beach have in common with Christmas?
? Sandy Claws!


What do you get if Santa goes down the chimney when a fire is lit?
? Crisp Cringle


What kind of candle burns longer, a red candle or a green candle?
? Neither! Candles always burn shorter!


Why was Santa's little helper depressed?
? He had low elf esteem


What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus?
? Claustrophobic"

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Christmas - Days 13, 14 & 15



Hello everyone - yes I am still here. I have suffered the past few days with IT and Brain Overload Issues. So now it is catch up time.


Day 13 - This years Christmas Cards have been made and now I just have to write them out and mail them. I am a little bit behind this year.

Day 14 & 15 - Today I caught up with some wonderful friends in the city. One of them Kaye and her beautiful daughter Ava (7 months) are down from Sydney for Christmas. Kaye has just recently moved to Sydney - thank goodness for the Internet, we are able to keep in touch easily. Today was a pretty good day, I also had a day of getting my Christmas shopping not only organised but also finished. But today did have a downer - I had a little car accident. My poor little car is a bit sad but I am OK.




Saturday, December 12, 2009

Christmas - Day 12


Rather than share another Christmas decoration, tonight I thought I would share a couple of flowers from my garden. I do not have a green thumb at all, but this time of the year something happens and the plants take care of themselves. This beautiful mauve rose is called "Blue Moon". It is Shane's latest pride and joy. I just bought the orange daisies and put them into a black pot and they look OK. As for the delicate blue flower - I have no idea what it is - it just came up and surprised me.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Christmas - Day 11



I am so so tired tonight, it is only 9.45pm and I am sitting in bed updating my blog. So I think it will be a fairly short post. Tonight I thought I would share with you this Miniature Patchwork Christmas Wallhanging. I started patchwork/quilting when I lived in Larchmont, New York and continued when I moved back to OZ. I was really into it but now just do it occasionally. Needless to say I have lots of quilt tops yet to be joined to their backing and quilted and tons and tons of fabric. I am thinking of selling some of the fabric on ebay. That is the joy of doing a miniature Quilt/Wallhanging, you actually get something finished - and me being a procrastinator that is a huge accomplishment. OK I really have to tuck myself into bed and hopefully get a good night sleep.

Oh, nearly forgot -had to share with you all the yummy "Chocolate Ripple Cake" Kath made the other night - my favorite desert - yum yum.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Christmas - Days 9 & 10

Day 9 - Yesterday was a fairly ordinary day until about 6.00pm when I went for a Christmas BBQ with Kath, Di and Lyn. I worked with these girls about 7 years ago. Isn't it weird how when we work with people they tend to become your friends by just working with them. It doesn't matter if you have nothing in common with them, you still socialize with them. It isn't until you no longer work with the girls that you realize which ones are real friends and which ones you really don't care if you ever see again. Kath, Lyn, Di and a couple of others who couldn't be there have become some very dear friends to me and I know that we were placed in the same work environment for a reason - to benefit each others lives. Notice how we all how our own variation of red Christmas shoes (mine were actually orange - but that is sort of red if you squint your eyes.

Day 10 - Today's Christmas decoration is the Advent Calender I made last year. I am very pleased how it turned out - how cute is Santa's face. I guess eventually when I have grandchildren the pockets will have lollies as well as numbers!!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Christmas - Day 8

"Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It's a way of entering into the quiet that's already there—buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day. ~ Deepak Chopra".

I came across this quote today and it is so so true. Anyone who is new to meditating will always ask "How do I make my mind go blank?" I always say don't be concerned with that, just let your thoughts visit and then let them leave. If you are having the thought, you are having it for a reason. I really love to meditate - it always relaxes me but sometimes it takes me to places and feelings I really don't want to return from. I really haven't been indulging as much as I should so tomorrow I am going to enrol in a regular meditation class and do some indulging.
Now my Christmas decoration I am going to share with you tonight are my "Table Top Christmas Trees" made out of steel pot scrubbers. You just get a heap of the cheapest steel pot scrubbers and pull them over polystyrene cones. I got the idea from a show called "B' Original" on TV. I really like them, they are a great rustic decoration to put out on my back porch.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Christmas - Day 7




I think my life caught up with me today and I have had a headache - bordering on a migraine - all day, so it wasn't a very productive day at all. While putting the wreath on the front door, it got me wondering what the meaning of the Christmas Wreath was. So me being me - I GOOGLED it (I google everything). Well that didn't help my headache - there were so many historic reasons, I wished I hadn't wondered at all. A couple of historic reasons were that in ancient Rome, people used decorative wreaths to symbolise victory and eternal love. It's circular shape represented eternity since circles have no beginning and also no end. For anyone out there that has some other meaning I would love to know it. I made my wreath and I really like the two little red robins on it - mainly because they have weird scary eyes. Don't ask me why their weirdness attracts me it just does. I thought I would also share another one of my Santa's with you. This guy stands about 65cm (about 26in) and he has the sweetest Santa face I have ever seen.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Christmas Tree - Day 6


Well the tree is decorated and the lights are on and I think it looks beaudyful!! I find decorating my Christmas a very relaxing, spiritual, reflective time. I have felt like this all my life but more so now that I am older and about 90% of my pieces have some sort of history to them - like my little Christmas Elf that climbs his little ladder at the base of our tree each year - my little Hershey man on a sleigh that I got when we visited Hershey Park in Hershey, PA and my Bonnie & Clyde Gangster Car that I got from Warner Bros. Studios in California. Each piece I place on my tree has my mind wandering, reflecting on some time in my life - both happy and sad, smiling at some of the antics my kids did during their tiny years. Maybe that is why I love Christmas, it is filled with so many feelings and memories.

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Christmas - Missing Day 4 & Day 5




For anyone that has or has had little children, you will probably agree with me that it is amazing how your day can be over before you know it. But for the life of you, you can't really name everything that has consumed your day. Well caring for an elderly parent is exactly the same. Even though Dad sleeps most of the day, my day was gone before I knew it. It was a day of washing bodies, clothes, bedding etc. etc etc. I did spoil myself and go to a scrapbooking night after Dad was tucked up into bed for the night. It was nice to just indulge in some me time for a couple of hours. I fully had intentions to update my blog when I got home, but I couldn't keep my eyes open. Today is day 5 of my Christmas preparations, so out came the Christmas tree, but I will get it decorated tomorrow. My daughter - Rachel - and her boyfriend - Luke - are of to a 60's Birthday Party tonight and I got the job of doing her makeup and creating the beehive hairdo. They looked so good as they headed of for a night of laughs. Rachel reminded me of the girls out of the group B52's and Luke was Ringo Starr of Beatles fame. I have always loved going to fancy dress nights - you can be as outrageous as you like and hide behind your costume.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Winter Santa - Day 3


This beautiful Santa is probably my favorite. I bought him about 4 years ago and every December when I get him out of his box he brings a smile to my face. Even though I love Christmas and all the lead up I am doing it a bit tough this year. My Dear Old Dad is really not doing well, his body is just slowing right down. In my heart I want him to be around for a long time but in my head I am not sure he will even be here at Christmas. He is aware of the fact that he does not have that long with us and we have had some good small talks, so that is a good thing. I feel each night when we say goodnight he is almost saying goodbye to me. I am so proud of the parents I was born to - and I thank them for their love and support and making me the person I am.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Move over Buddhas - Day 2

Move over Buddhas - Santa has arrived!! During the year my Buddhas have all the room they need, they can spread out all over my shelves. But when December arrives they all have to get a bit cosier to make room for my Santas. My collection of Santas started when I lived in New York and I usually buy a new addition (or 2) each year during the Boxing Day sales.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

My Journey - Day 1



Today we welcome in Summer 2009 and the beginning of my Christmas/New Year Journey. We have started of Summer with a lovely day with a temp of 24c - very enjoyable. My journey starts today with getting all the boxes with my Christmas decorations down from on top of cupboards - lots of dust - cough cough!! Every year my collections get more and more, I wonder if I will have to buy another box in January. I am a bit of a collector, so I love to collect Santas. This photo is of my newest inclusion - two little Santas on a see saw. OK now where do I put all this stuff???