Race time ~ Happy PPF !

Hello!

... hope this finds everyone, each in their own way, going ok. Keep smiling xx

It's Friday and I'm all organised to enter some craft and paintwork in this week's Paint Party Friday - where the happiest of artists gather ... and everyone's made very welcome: 

"Race Time"

Cardboard tubes and Acrylic paint

I was inspired to make up these racing peeps as an e-card for some of our loved ones.  

I found an idea on Pinterest, played around with it a bit to put my own 'take' on it. 

The use of cardboard tubes was ideal.

I was also putting together a toy box  for some other, much younger, family members, so that's where those little cardboard racing guys found their home:

some other toy box additions.  We bought from the local Op (Charity) Shop.

(They've all had a good sudsy wash as they're sure to end up being chewed by the little 2 and 4 year olds !)

I had heaps of fun making the little cardboard racers, and took photos as I amused myself no end throughout some hot days spent inside the house with the air conditioner on.  Here goes:

Cutting them out

In full mass production mode here.

Wheels, racing peeps, racer bodies... a bit of panel beating here and there!

All starting to come together now.

The "Go Faster" Flames have been painted, numbers added, wheels attached

... just waiting for the paint and glue to dry.

#4 is especially keen!

Well, that's it.  It was fun.  Thanks for joining me and I hope it put a smile on your face too.

Cheers now! 

At the end of a day ...

Hello!

Thought I'd take you for a little walk as I do my pottering at the end of a day.
Nothing exciting perhaps, but yet, for me, very satisfying... 

Setting off to feed the chooks, worms and fish:

First corn from Hubby's vegie patch... tasted beautiful too.

As I set off, I have a check on the hanging plants to see if they need watering after such a hot day:

Underneath them, the Native Hibiscus blooms and the Windflower is in bud:

The chooks hear the gate and come a'running ... so excited to be getting FOOD!!! At Last!!! :

Great excitement this evening, as well as the usual treats ... a corn cob which they clean up in no time:

Over to the worm bin and they get the cut up corn cob husks:

Now to check on some Woolly Bush (an Australian Native) cuttings I've set - they're the easiest thing to grow from cuttings and I have big plans for them:

Near to them, I water the Bottlebrush (Calistemon). It survives exceptionally well in the heat but, after the run of hot days we've had, even it needs a drink:

Through the fence and into my dear Hubby's vegie garden:

These zucchini have grown so big in a few hot days.  

Now to my favourites... cherry tomatoes.  I gave them shelter from the fierce 40+ deg Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) sun with a piece of shadecloth, however, they continue to ripen under it so I've left it there:

Got to admire that lovely corn patch. Many more corn cobs to come. 

On the way to feed the fish, I have a look in at the rainforest... it doesn't need watering again, so on to the fish pond:

Here we are,  and all seems quiet at the pond:

A bit of a rattle of the feed container and there they are.  Looks like they've nibbled on that lily pad as entree:

Further down, I find the seed pod of the Grevillea has opened and shed its seeds already.  I was going to see if I could strike any of the seeds in pots.  Ah well, there's always another pod to come :D)

On the way back, I check on the lizards' drinking bowl and, even though it has plenty of water in it,  am a bit ashamed that its so overgrown.  I make a mental note to clean it up the next day:

A look back through the Argyle Apple Eucalyptus at the setting sun.  Another lovely day is coming to a close:

Thanks for sharing that part of my day. 

A little bit of prattle....

Hello!

Well... it's February!  That was quick  😊

Lovely to be back.  I hope all's going well in your lives.

Always hard to do that first post after an absence isn't it!  So I decided I shall prattle ...it seems I'm getting better at that the older I become lol.

First photo for 2018 is our waterlily.  I've used it as a header also, but, as I change headers frequently, I'd like a permanent photo left here because this waterlily has a bit of history:

We bought and kept it in a large ceramic bowl of water about 11 years' ago.  Then we sold up and travelled  for a few years in our bus, so our Daughter inherited it and looked after it beautifully.  When we put down roots in our present home, I took a cutting and it grew here quite happily but never flowering because of the dappled light.
Last year, after Hubby cut a poorly tree down, sunshine got through and early this year - yay - it bloomed!

~~~~~

Seeing that it's February, I thought it may be a bit too late to show Christmas photos ... but... well, I've decided it's not, 

so here's a lovely sweet and yummy clutch of the dessert part of the delicious Christmas lunch made by our loved ones:

From left to right:  

Super moist and scrumptious fruit cake,
Black Forest Trifle... oooh, lusciousness on a plate,
Smoothly decadent, richly gorgeousness Fudges ... by the container full... we kept eating, they didn't seem to run out!!!!

My plate!

So we were very spoilt  xxxxx

Some gifts:  

                                 A birdhouse for our sweetie-pie tiny birds who visit our garden

A pretty comb ... I grew my hair last year and am embracing all those natural grey highlights ;D)

                                    Owl chimes - pretty tinkling sounds outside the window

~~~~~

Some paintings which I shall enter in this week's Paint Party Friday - where the happiest of artists gather ... and everyone's welcome:

Acrylic on Paper

This is part of a painting I did as part of a name sign for Mum's door to her room at the aged care home where she lives.

The idea behind the signs are to show a little about each person, so I chose to show a lot of Mum's crafts and skills.   It was inspired by the apron she made and embroidered for me many years ago.  Here's a photo of it:

 Part of a card I'd painted a while ago:

Watercolour and Acrylic on Arches 300G Paper

~~~~~

Finally, a gorgeous crepe myrtle that graced our loved ones garden during Christmas time:

That's all for now .....

I shall catch up with each of you real soon!