what choice do I have???

You see I thought it was over.
I thought my Christmas shopping was complete.
I thought I was done.
I thought "Busy has enough I can stop now. "

But you see I just saw this:

and really, I feel like the decision to buy this is almost out of my hands???

The fact that it would look so beautiful on the Yellow Thing Dad Made Us is glaring obvious isn't it?

its just that it's.... well.....  $

and maybe thats a bit much for a tea set....................................... feel free to convice me otherwise....

The chunkychooky tips to stay cool this Summer.

It has been so friggen hot this past weekend. Yes, we live in a hot climate. Yes I live in a sweaty little humid valley, but I really don't enjoy the heat. The humdity does nothing for my hair.

 But every year we survive the worst of it with a few helpful items:

1. The water sprayer. Yep keep it in the fridge so it's nice and cold- have a few on the go. If you stand in front of the fan and spray it towards the fan then it flies back and it seems to wet you better.

2.Water in glass bottles. You can put them against your skin and they feel good too. Stays cooler for longer out of the fridge.

3. The wooden fan. One does not like to perspire excessively in public. I do find it stops me from crossing that line from looking hot and looking like a freak- a red, wet, mess.

( a-hem)

What do you do to stay cool?  Share your secrets please.....
In case you haven't heard I am having a giveaway- it starts this Friday

My Place and Yours: My Collection

 The lovely Kate from FoxsLane is this weeks theme queen and the theme she has chosen is My Collection -and I am sure she will be wearing a lovely organic tiara!

At first I thought... oh... I don't collect anything... comparing myself to those people you see on The Collectors where they have rooms full of stuff... then Kate suggested a few things and I thought Oh yeah- they are not huge collections as I am not really much of a collector - (I married one though) but here we go.

One of my only little collections ( besides fabric of course!!)  is of  items suitable to be displayed on the Kitchen Thing Dad Made. My Dad made it for my sister and I when were children and I discovered it again- (yes their was much squealing, and swooning and tears of joy)  in the garage a couple of years ago at Mums place. It went straight into the car to be taken home immediately. (No Chef we cannot wait until next time to get it. ) We had to repack the car as there was no way I was letting him strap it to the roof!!)  (Chef vehemently denies suggesting we strap it to the roof. Sorry Chef xxx)

I think it is (the cabinet- it actually doesn't really have a name if anyone wants to suggest one feel free) most beautiful thing in the world and it would be one of those things I would grab in a fire.

Not just any old tea set is worthy of being placed on . Enamel is particulary good and this set is from a shop in Sydney. It was stupidly expensive for a childrens tea set but its so pretty and I think its worth it! Look how nice it looks. Yes Busy is actually allowed to play with it. There are more plates and cups but they are in the sandpit...

Pop on over to Pips place at Meet Me At Mikes to see who is showing their collections.....

woops sorry a new picture- I wasn't happy with the other one

Sorry to everyone who already put the other pic on their blog- I didn't realise how quick people would do it!! I meant to use this one but I couldn't find it! feel free to change it if you like...or you decide which one you want to use!! Either this one or the one below...

Please use this pic and this link :

http://chunkychooky.blogspot.com/2009/11/softie-giveaway-details.html

softie giveaway details:

As a special treat for Christmas and to thank everyone for all your lovely comments this year I will be giving away some softies!!!! Hoooraaaaaaaaaayyyyy!!!!  Perfect Christmas gifts- for yourself or someone else in your life. All HANDMADE at HOME by ME!!!( of course!)
Over the next four weeks every Friday will be the giveaway day!!!! Yes every  FRIDAY for FOUR weeks!! So to enter all you have to do is:
1. Comment on the Friday post - the winner will be announced on Sunday AND
2. Add the above little picture to your sidebar with a link to this post. ( make sure you tick- shrink to fit)
2. GO HERE- to add the little picture to your sidebar (or just scroll up for the new and improved lovely  picture.) and please link to here:
 http://chunkychooky.blogspot.com/2009/11/softie-giveaway-details.html

STARTS FRIDAY 27TH  NOVEMBER

Softie Giveaway

more details tomorrow- its gonna be huge...

handmade vs homemade?

Is it just me or do you assume when you are buying something on Etsy or Madeit that is being sold as handmade - so you assume the person selling it actually made it with their own hands? I do. Well I did.

A friend recently told me that her friend sells on Madeit but she doesn't actually make anything herself- she has it made very cheaply- locally- by someone else- then adds on quite a few bucks and sells in on Madeit? Do you think this is wrong or is it just me??

I think this is really dishonest. On her shopfront she states that everything is made in ( where she lives) and it is- but not by her.  As far as I am concerned handmade is home made by the person selling it. The whole beauty of buying something on these sites, I think, is that you are buying something from the actual artist/ creator themselves?

I know the flipside of this is that she is able to provide work for someone locally which of course is great .. I don't know... I don't like it but there is not really anything I can do, I don't actually want to do anything about it I am just intersted in what others think.

My place and yours

My Place and Yours- the theme for this week is chosen by Shelley from Femme De Montmarte  and its Through the Door... before I get throught the door I am greeted by a furry creature , who is always waiting at the bottom of the driveway and runs excitedly beside my car greeting me like he hasn't seen me for a hundred years.  ...but the funny thing is before I get through the door I am ALWAYS busting to go to the toilet! ( which is outside)

If you look closely you will see the worlds most ineffective screen door. (The Dog kept flying through the screen so we took it off.)

But my home is my sanctuary. I probably should have taken a photo of the driveway because as soon as I turn into it and start the bumpy ride up the hill I feel instantly relieved to be in the privacy and quietness of our little farm.

When I get to the door I always take a peak through the glass to see what Chef and Busy are doing and listen to them for a moment relishing the cuteness of seeing them togther playing or singing or reading.  I open the door and I am hoooooooooooommmmmmmmmmeeeeee. 

big sigh.... kick of shoes... look at stove to see what we are having for dinner.... and greet family with lots of kisses and cuddles.

Want to play go over to Pips and join the fun.

inspired by:

On Wednesday at our almost monthly lunch with the ladies , the talented Flossy-p was wearing this lovely top that she had customised herself with yoyos. Anyway, this inspired me as I was planning on making a little handbag for a friend of Busys' from day care who will be 2 tommorrow and she is having a party. (Someone is pretty pumped about the party! well me too... I love cake and miss 2's aunty is a pastry chef....hehehehe)
I was gong to do some embroidery on it but I thought, after seeing Flossys top I would have a go at some yoyos. It came out very cute- I should have lined it but I am sure Miss 2 won't mind.
here it is:

Speaking of Flossy- have you entered her Annual Thanskgiving Illustration Giveaway- if not why bloody not??? Are you mad??!!! Go NOW! Go! What are you waiting for!!!

From the mouths of babes

I have noticed a couple of HILARIOUS posts about kids saying funny things here and here... which reminded me of a blog post I had in mind....

When I was 19 I decided to take myself across the seas to work as a nanny in London for a couple of years.  I was a temporary nanny  and I never lived with the families just went Mon-Fri. ( except for that one time when I lived- in with a really wealthy and posh family in Fulham on a 3 week contract and the father of the 6 month old twins flashed at me!! - filthy pig bastard I got you back didn't I you prick! Told your wife and the agency and totally embarrassed you  filthy old perve clearly I have some unresolved anger towards this man...   Anyway, whilst living over yonder I got a gig housesitting in this amazing house owned by 2 writers.  They ahd four grown up children and they were supercool and creative and artistic and so in love with each other and I loved them! We were talking about what you would grab in a fire because the house was so filled up with beautiful things. So they showed me what they called "The Book". It was a rather ordinary looking notebook but inside was a treasure trove of family history. They had written down EVERY single one of those hilarious little gems their children come out with. I was amazed at the dedication  and diligence... it was very comprehensive. They said if they were out and one of them said something funny they would jot it down on a bit of paper and then transferred it to the book when they got home.

AND they let me read it. I laughed, I cried and it was the most beautiful and sweet book I have ever read. It was 16 years ago way before I even really knew if I would have children but  I just knew I would have to do it if I did.

Busy has only been talking for 12 months and our little book already makes me giggle. We are both diligent about it - write it down on a scrap of paper and then put it in the book- you won't remember all of them...

here is ours:

see... it doesn't have to be fancy...

My Creative Space

 Thought I would share with you today My Creative Space. I have oft looked at this meme and thought it would be nice to join in... closely followed by the thought I should tidy up the sewing room before I take a photo. But I have decided against cleaning it up for the photo.

Here it is warts and all....

....and this is the view from outside the window, I took a photo from the inside but

 the filth  (of the window) was beyond embarassing so I stood outside and took a pic of the same view.

It is so lush and green and peaceful... its so easy to create here.

For more creative spaces pop over to Kootoyoo

press release

Worldwide media today was stunned with news from a small town in NSW,  Australia. Cath, owner of hugely successful brand Chunky chooky baked muffins.  Long term friends are said to be stupified. A close friend stated "I think she is loosing it, Chef has been away for a couple of days and she has been largely house bound by the rain... I can't get over it... sorry I need to lay down". Her mother apparently needed sedation. Another long term friend is said to have fainted.

 Chef is unaware of recent events and cannot be contacted for comment, he is expected to be home later today. Press are eager to see how he will cope with the news  -there is a large amount of speculation. "It could go either way. They have been together for 10 years and she has never baked, I don't know what he will do. He may be threatened by her obvious skill." Medics are on standby to ensure Chef copes with the shock.

Inside sources say Busy was very confused when the idea was first mentioned - she is quoted as saying         "cook with mummy????" The muffins are said to be banana and chocolate. We have been able to obtain these exclusive pictures of the muffins.

Not bad huh???

My Place and Yours: My secret weapon

This weeks theme for My Place and Yours over at Pips is My Secret Weapon, chosen by My Bricole.  So I am showing you my secret weapon. I take it EVERYWHERE.

My spiral notebook and a pen ( I prefer felt tip but I couldn't find one for the photo). The beautiful cover was made by the lovely Pepperberry & Co. You never know when inspiration will strike - sometimes it's a funnny quote sometimes its just seeing two colours together.
It is my secret weapon! ( thats why I have shown you a blank page- inside is a secret!!!)

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

.... and on Etsy Finds too.... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
scroll right to the very very very bottom....

express karma

Something weird is happening.
I have had 5 sales in 24 hours on Madeit and a sale on Etsy and a feature.
What is going on?
Has someone placed a huge Chunkychooky billboard somewhere that I don't know about?

Its still raining.
I am still flooded in.
At least I can sew.